Guerra de los Mil Días
By 1904, Colombia was still ruined from the events of the civil Thousand Days' War and the loss of Panama. The conservative party presented two presidential tickets, one with Rafael Reyes for president and Ramón González Valencia as vice-president, and the other with Joaquin Vélez for president and Alfredo Vásquez Cobo. The liberal party abstained from this election. The results of the election were too close and challenges were brought to court. The Electoral Court proclaimed Reyes as President and he was inaugurated on August 7, 1904.