Jorge Eliécer Gaitán, (born Jan. 26, 1902, Bogotá—died April 9, 1948, Bogotá), political leader who was considered a champion of the Colombian people and was revered as a martyr after his assassination. Gaitán studied law at the National University of Colombia, Bogotá, and continued his studies in Rome. There he was greatly influenced by Benito Mussolini, paying careful attention to his techniques for arousing and organizing the populace. Returning to Colombia, he organized a short-lived party ...