José Manuel Pando Solares was born in La Paz in 1848.
He was President of Bolivia from 1899 to 1904 and commanded the second battle in the Acre War against Brazil. He was a great explorer (the tales of his expedition north of La Paz were studied by experts on the matter), and his great contribution was to integrate the northern part of the country. Today, the Department of Pando carries his name.

Biography

1848: Born in La Paz, Bolivia

1866: Studied medicine, but left school for politics.  

1870: Joined the navy.

1880: Wounded in the Battle of Alto of the Alliance

1880: Commanded an artillery regiment

1884: Active member of the Liberal Party

1894: Became head of the Liberal Party

1896: Became a Chuquisaca Representative

1898: Led the federal forces with Zárate and won the Civil War

1899: Became president of Bolivia

1900: Carried out the first census of the 20th Century

1900: Bolivia had a trade balance surplus because of the rubber boom

1900: Built the La Paz – Guaqui railroad

1903: Restructured the army with the aid of a French mission

1903: Founded an agricultural school

1903: Founded a mining school

1903: Commanded Bolivian troops in the Acre War against Brazil

1904: Left the presidency

1904: Became a delegate to the commission on the Brazilian border

1917: Murdered in Kenko in the Department of La Paz