Joaquín Zavala

Joaquín Zavala Solís (1835–1906) was President of Nicaragua 1879-1883 and in 1893. He was a member of the Nicaraguan Conservative Party.

He is now remembered especially for having thwarted the request of the young Rubén Darío, later to become one of the most well-known Spanish-language poets, for a government scholarship to study in Europe. In 1882 Darío, then 15 years old, read some of his poetry to a group including the President - whereupon Zavala reportedly reproved him: "My son, if you so write against the religion of your fathers and their homeland now, what will become of you if you go to Europe and learn worse things?" [es iconHumberto C. Garza, [http://www.los-poetas.com/a/biodario.htm Biografía de Rubén Darío] , los-poetas.com. Accessed online 7 March 2007. "Hijo mío, si asi escribes ahora contra la religión de tus padres y de tu patria, que será si te vas a Europa a aprender cosas peores?"]

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