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Rafael Spinola

Rafael Spínola
Rafaelspinola1897.jpg
Coat of arms of Guatemala.svg
National Assembly representative
In office
1893–1895
President José María Reina Barrios
Coat of arms of Guatemala.svg
Secretary of Infrastructure
Republic of Guatemala
In office
1899–1901
President Manuel Estrada Cabrera
Personal details
Born 1866
Died (aged 45)
Guatemala City,  Guatemala
Political party Liberal
Spouse(s) Florencia Strecker Frías
Children Stella and Magdalena Spínola (1896–1991)
Occupation politician, writer, public speaker
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Rafael Spínola (1866 – 4 October 1901 in Guatemala City) was a writer, journalist, politician and public speaker from Guatemala. Director of the well known cultura magazine La Ilustración Guatemalteca in 1896 and 1897, was Secretary of Infrastructure in Manuel Estrada Cabrera first presidential term. He also created the "Fiestas Minervalias", which were a celebration to the studious youth and the president Estrada Cabrera rule. He was also the one that signed the treaty granting the American company "The Central American Improvement Co. Inc." to finish the Northern Railroad -which had been left unfinished after president José María Reina Barrios assassination on 8 February 1898–, which would be the stepping stone for the operations of the United Fruit Company in Guatemala. He was the father of Guatemalan poetesse Magdalena Spínola (1896–1991).

Cavalry lieutenant colonel José María Espínola Baeza y Bravo arrived to Guateamala on 12 June 1822, in charge of six hundred men of the Mexican Army and under the command of Vicente Filísola. After Filísola returned to México the next year, colonel Espínola stayed in Guatemala because he met miss Mariana del Águila Escobar, whom he married and had three children with: José Vicente, Guadalupe and Mercedes Spínola del Águila. In Guatemala he changed his last name from Espínola to Spínola, which is the original spelling.

Rafael Spínola was son of José Vicente Spínola del Águila and Isabel Orellana Corzo, who in turn was the granddaughter of Venezuelan doctor Narciso Esparragoza y Gallardo, who graduated from the Real y Pontificia Universidad de San Carlos in 1794 and who became the first anatomy doctor in Guatemala by royal decree of King Charles IV.

Spínola graduated high school from Instituto Nacional Central para Varones, where he was classmate of pioneer Guatemalan photographer Alberto G. Valdeavellano. In those years, he was known for his smart and sharp replies and jokes to his teachers, which made his classmates laugh without making the faculty angry. Strong and tall, he was also a vivacious and curious individual.


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