José Bonifacio Aquileo Elias Parra y Gómez de la Vega (May 12, 1825 - December 4, 1900) was a Colombian soldier, businessman and political figure.

He found a job making and selling hats, and he navigated the Magdalena River, calling on the ports of Magangué, Mompós and Puerto Berrío.

[1] Parra also served in the military and participated in the civil wars against presidents José María Melo, Mariano Ospina Rodríguez and the Granadine Confederation ("Confederacion Granadina") in 1861.

Three months later he had deal with the events that lead to the bloodiest civil war of the 19th century.

The Conservatives, united in one group, launched the military offensive in the States of Antioquia and Cauca.