Olegario Molina

Olegario Molina Solís (6 March 184328 April 1925) was a Mexican lawyer, businessman and politician who served as the governor of Yucatán from 1902 to 1907 and the secretary of development, colonization and industry in the government of Porfirio Díaz from 1907 to 1911. He was also a member of the Chamber of Deputies in two terms. His brothers were the journalist Audomaro Molina Solís and the historian Juan Francisco Molina Solís.

He was born in Bolonchén, Campeche, on 6 March 1843. His parents were Juan Francisco Molina Esquivel and Cecilia Solís. He had nine siblings.

Molina was married to Dolores Figueroa, who died in 1914. They had five children: Olegario, who died young, María Teresa, Dolores, Augusto, and Carmela.

He was the most conspicuous character of the so-called Divine Caste, a term used by General Salvador Alvarado to designate the Yucatecan oligarchy of the early twentieth century or, more precisely, the group of hacendados henequeneros, or porfiriato henequenero, who controlled the state economy of Yucatán at that time.

On 9 July 1901, the Central Club (Club Central) was formed in Mérida to support Molina's candidacy for the governorship of Yucatán. Molina ran as the only candidate that year.

In the first week of his governorship, Molina gave up his salary, instead directing it to fund the construction of Yucatán's general hospital. It would take almost the entirety of his term to complete. It was one of several projects that President Porfirio Díaz inaugurated during a February 1906 visit to the state. Molina's administration also saw increased sanitary reform in Mérida, which had previously been struck by epidemic diseases.

Molina Solís died in exile in Havana, Cuba on 28 April 1925. His remains were later transferred, after a tribute in the Teatro Peón Contreras to the chapel of the Sodzil hacienda, which was previously his property.