The Second National Congress of Coffee Growers convened in Medellin in 1927. Two sons of Tulio Ospina-Vasquez, Rafael Ospina-Perez and Mariano Ospina-Perez, were among the representatives of the province of Antioquia. As a result of this Congress, the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia was created, with Mariano Ospina-Perez as one of its founders.
He was elected Director of the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia from 1930 to 1934. His main objective was to assist, finance, and educate the coffee growers while implementing an aggressive program to expand Colombia's world market share. To that end, he created a financial institution (Caja Agraria) to help meet the credit needs of coffee growers, and other small farmers and peasants. Under Mariano Ospina-Perez' aegis, the Federation successfully consolidated the nation's coffee industry and promoted it in the world markets to great effect. Colombia became the largest producer of prime Arabica coffee in the world.
Mariano Ospina-Perez was elected the 43rd President of Colombia in 1946. During his administration, Colombia reached the highest level of coffee exports as a percentage of the GNP.
|