TORICES, Manuel Rodriguez (to-re'-thays), Colombian patriot, born in Cartagena, 24 May, 1788; died in Bogota, 5 October, 1816. He received his education in the College of Rosario in Bogota, where he was graduated in law, but, being fond of scientific investigations, he did not practise his profession, and, retiring to his native city, devoted himself to meteorological observations. When the revolution of 1810 began, the governing junta commissioned him, with Fernandez Madrid, to edit the patriotic paper "Argos Americano." He was elected a member of the municipal council in 1811, and in 1812 president of the constituent assembly of the state, and, in consequence of the governor's resignation, was elected by the assembly, 25 March, 1812, to the executive, with dictatorial powers. When Santa Marta declared in favor of the Spaniards, Torices sent state troops, under command of the French adventurer Labatout, to retake the city, which was occupied on 6 January, 1813 ; but on 5 March a counter-revolution put the place again in the hands of the Spaniards. Torices now marched at the head of re-enforcements against Santa Marta, but was defeated on 10 and 11 May. After the defeat and capture of Narifio by the Spaniards in 1814, the Federal congress of Tunja resolved to confide the national executive to a triumvirate, consisting of Restrepo, Rovira, and Torices, and in January, 1815, the last-named went to Bogota, and was elected to the presidency of the triumvirate. He commissioned Bolivar to march against Santa Marta ; but, , the state government of Cartagena refusing to co-operate, the expedition was prevented, and Bolivar sailed for Jamaica on 8 Nay, the royalists obtaining great advantages for want of combined action by the patriot chiefs. In November of that year the triumvirate was superseded by the election of Dr. Camilo Tortes as president; but Torices, as vice-president, remained one of his principal advisers, and when, after the defeat of Garcia Rovira at Cachiri, and the approach of the royalist troops, the evacuation of the capital was decided upon, Torices fled with Torres and others, was captured at Buenaventura, taken to Bogota, and shot by order of General Morillo.