high-ranking member of the Venezuelan military, politician and the president of Venezuela
1858 CE
to 1924 CE
José Cipriano Castro Ruiz (October 12, 1858 – December 4, 1924) is a high-ranking member of the Venezuelan military, politician and the president of Venezuela from 1899 to 1908.
He is the first man from the Andes to rule the country, and is the first of four military strongmen from the Andean state of Táchira to rule the country over the next forty-six years.