Alberto Lleras Camargo
Encyclopedia
Alberto Lleras Camargo was an important Colombia
n diplomat
and political figure.
He was a member of the Liberal Party of Colombia; he served as congressman (1931–1935), Minister of Education, Minister of the Interior and Minister of Foreign Affairs, during the governments of Alfonso López Pumarejo
and Eduardo Santos
. He served too as acting President of Colombia
between 1945 and 1946. He then served as the first secretary general
of the Organization of American States
from 1948 to 1954. Finally, he served as President of Colombia between 1958 and 1962. During this later term, he founded the Colombian Institute for Agrarian Reform (INCORA), with the intention of implementing a needed degree of land reform
in the country.
In 1929 he was elected Alderman for Bogotá, which marked his first foray into politics. The following year he was secretary of the general direction of liberalism, and in 1931 was elected to the House of Representatives for Bogotá. That same year he became the first liberal to come to preside over the House in more than forty years. After the election of Alfonso López Pumarejo as president in 1934, was appointed by him as Secretary General of the Presidency. In 1935 he moved to the Ministry of Government, a position he held until the end of government. In 1938 he founded the newspaper El Liberal, which led to Lopez's reelection in 1941 and returned to the House of Representatives, presided over. With Lopez's return to the presidency in 1942, he held the portfolio of government again. In 1943 he went as Ambassador to the United States, but the same year he returned and resumed the ministry of government. As such he had to face the quasi-coup in July 1944 by the Designated Dario Echandia, who assumed the presidency. In 1945 he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, and as such, represented Colombia at the Conference of Chapultepec, and the San Francisco Conference which created the UN, elected that year by the Senate as a presidential candidate, it should have the presidency after the resignation of Lopez, a position he held until the following year, when elections were held which gave victory to conservative candidate Mariano Ospina Pérez
. At 39 years he was the youngest incumbent president in history with General Eustorgio Salgar
. During his government he founded the Flota Mercante and concluded the constitutional reform of 1945.
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
and political figure.
He was a member of the Liberal Party of Colombia; he served as congressman (1931–1935), Minister of Education, Minister of the Interior and Minister of Foreign Affairs, during the governments of Alfonso López Pumarejo
Alfonso López Pumarejo
Alfonso López Pumarejo was a two-time Colombian president and political figure, as a member of the Colombian Liberal Party. He served as president of Colombia for the first time between 1934 and 1938 and again between 1942 and 1945....
and Eduardo Santos
Eduardo Santos
Eduardo Santos Montejo was a leading Colombian publisher and politician, active in the Colombian Liberal Party. He owned the prominent Bogotá newspaper El Tiempo, and served as the President of Colombia from August 1938 to August 1942.Santos was close friends with the Venezuelan Ambassador in...
. He served too as acting President of Colombia
President of Colombia
The President of Colombia is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Colombia. The office of president was established upon the ratification of the Constitution of 1819, by the Congress of Angostura, convened in December 1819, when Colombia was part of "la Gran Colombia"...
between 1945 and 1946. He then served as the first secretary general
Secretary General of the Organization of American States
According to the Charter of the Organization of American States:-Secretaries General of the OAS:-Assistant Secretaries General of the OAS:*William Manger *William Sanders...
of the Organization of American States
Organization of American States
The Organization of American States is a regional international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States...
from 1948 to 1954. Finally, he served as President of Colombia between 1958 and 1962. During this later term, he founded the Colombian Institute for Agrarian Reform (INCORA), with the intention of implementing a needed degree of land reform
Land reform
[Image:Jakarta farmers protest23.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Farmers protesting for Land Reform in Indonesia]Land reform involves the changing of laws, regulations or customs regarding land ownership. Land reform may consist of a government-initiated or government-backed property redistribution,...
in the country.
In 1929 he was elected Alderman for Bogotá, which marked his first foray into politics. The following year he was secretary of the general direction of liberalism, and in 1931 was elected to the House of Representatives for Bogotá. That same year he became the first liberal to come to preside over the House in more than forty years. After the election of Alfonso López Pumarejo as president in 1934, was appointed by him as Secretary General of the Presidency. In 1935 he moved to the Ministry of Government, a position he held until the end of government. In 1938 he founded the newspaper El Liberal, which led to Lopez's reelection in 1941 and returned to the House of Representatives, presided over. With Lopez's return to the presidency in 1942, he held the portfolio of government again. In 1943 he went as Ambassador to the United States, but the same year he returned and resumed the ministry of government. As such he had to face the quasi-coup in July 1944 by the Designated Dario Echandia, who assumed the presidency. In 1945 he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, and as such, represented Colombia at the Conference of Chapultepec, and the San Francisco Conference which created the UN, elected that year by the Senate as a presidential candidate, it should have the presidency after the resignation of Lopez, a position he held until the following year, when elections were held which gave victory to conservative candidate Mariano Ospina Pérez
Mariano Ospina Pérez
Luis Mariano Ospina Pérez was a Colombian engineer and political figure, member of the Colombian Conservative Party. He served as President of Colombia between 1946 and 1950.- Biographic data :...
. At 39 years he was the youngest incumbent president in history with General Eustorgio Salgar
Eustorgio Salgar
Eustorgio Salgar Moreno was a lawyer, Colombian general and political figure, who was president of the Granadine Confederation from 1870 until 1872. Elected at age 39, was one of the youngest Presidents of the nation.- Biographic data :...
. During his government he founded the Flota Mercante and concluded the constitutional reform of 1945.