May 1, Rojas ordered the arrest of Valencia, who was campaigning in Cali. Troops surrounded the house in which Valencia was staying and placed him under house arrest. Outraged, university students in Cali declared a strike in protest of the arrest. The student leaders were headquartered in a Catholic church, where they had the support of the clergy. Due to the unrest, Rojas postponed the election. After much dissatisfaction from a majority of the Colombian population, strikes and demonstrations rose up in large numbers, demanding President Gustavo Rojas Pinilla's resignation. The strikes and demonstrations that deposed President Gustavo Rojas Pinilla of Colombia were planned somewhat day to day and began as reactionary actions in response to Rojas's attempts to hold power indefinitely. The opposition to Rojas had a wide base, across social classes and political party lines, and varied spokesmen, from students to political leaders to the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church. This was a result of the growing discontentment with the direction of the Rojas regime. On May 10, a three-man military junta convinced Rojas to step down in the early hours of the morning. The president knew he could not keep power or order in Colombia without the support of the military. The junta took over the government with the backing of the Liberal and Conservative parties and the striking citizens. People in cities throughout the nation filled the streets in celebration, chanting, “He fell!” and flying the Colombian flag. Holding Power After the carefully-organized coup, the military dictator went into exile, and the temporary military junta occupied seats of power for the reestablishment of constitutional government via free election. Most of the following year posed severe strain on the bi-partisan civilian alliance. The strain was made worse by the discovery of a military police plot to assassinate Alberto Lleras Camargo and the five-man junta on May 2, 1958. It was suppressed. A year after the overthrowing of President Gustavo Rojas, the ruling junta held free lections for the National Constituent Assembly and Presidency to restore Colombia to civilian rule. References Political history of Colombia Military history of Colombia 1957 in Colombia 1958 in Colombia