Belisario Betancur
Encyclopedia
Belisario Betancur Cuartas (born on February 4, 1923) is a Colombia
n statesman, who as a member of the Colombian Conservative Party
was President of Colombia from 1982 to 1986.
, Antioquia. His father, Rosendo Betancur, was a blue-collar worker at the textile company Coltejer
, job that he obtained after having spent most of his life transporting goods by mule through the mountains of Antioquia. His mother, Ana Otilia Cuartas, had a small shop in Amagá. She died in 1950.
. He later transferred to the seminary “Misiones de Yarumal’’, where he studied for the priesthood. He was dismissed from the seminary for disciplinary matters. Betancur then traveled to the city of Medellín
, where he enrolled in the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana. There, he excelled in his studies and obtained exceptional grades. Upon completing his high-school education, the Headmaster of the school, Monsignor Manuel José Sierra, granted him a scholarship to complete his higher education. In 1955, Betancur graduated in jurisprudence and obtained a Law and Economics degree.
and Antioquia, and was a member of the National Constituent Assembly from 1953 to 1957.
Betancur was the Minister of Labor in 1963 and Ambassador of Colombia to Spain from 1975 to 1977.
During his term, the government approved the mayoral election law, municipal and departmental reforms, judicial and congressional reforms, the television statute, the federal holiday
law, and the new Código Contencioso Administrativo. His administration began the exploration and export of coal in the Cerrejón North region and the broadcast of the regional television channels Teleantioquia and Telecaribe.
Betancur is also noted for his attempts to bring peace to his country. During his administration he initiated peace talks with several Colombian guerrilla groups. The controversial Palace of Justice siege
occurred in late 1985, less than a year before the end of his presidential term.
for Latin America, President of the Commission for Truth in the Salvadoran peace process, President of the Pan American Health Organization
in Washington, and President of the Santillana for Latin America Foundation in Bogotá. He is also a founding member of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences
.
Betancur is a member of the Club of Madrid
, an independent non-profit organization composed of 81 democratic former Presidents and Prime Ministers from 57 different countries.
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 statesman, who as a member of the Colombian Conservative Party
Colombian Conservative Party
The Colombian Conservative Party , is a conservative political party in Colombia. The party was unofficially founded by a group of Revolutionary Commoners during the Revolutionary War for Independence from the Spanish Monarchy and later formally established during the Greater Colombia...
was President of Colombia from 1982 to 1986.
Biographic data
Betancur was born in the vicinity of “el Morro de la Paila”, of the town of AmagáAmagá
Amagá is a town and municipality in Antioquia Department, Colombia. It is part of the subregion of Southwestern Antioquia. The area was known for its coal and iron ore production and it hosted early iron works.-Notable places:...
, Antioquia. His father, Rosendo Betancur, was a blue-collar worker at the textile company Coltejer
Coltejer
The Coltejer building is the tallest building in Medellín, Colombia and the fourth tallest in Colombia.A taller building, the "Edificio El Faro" is under construction in Sabaneta, Colombia, which is a city in the Metropolitan Area of Medellín and would technically surpass the Coltejer building as...
, job that he obtained after having spent most of his life transporting goods by mule through the mountains of Antioquia. His mother, Ana Otilia Cuartas, had a small shop in Amagá. She died in 1950.
Early life
Betancur started his education in the public school of AmagáAmagá
Amagá is a town and municipality in Antioquia Department, Colombia. It is part of the subregion of Southwestern Antioquia. The area was known for its coal and iron ore production and it hosted early iron works.-Notable places:...
. He later transferred to the seminary “Misiones de Yarumal’’, where he studied for the priesthood. He was dismissed from the seminary for disciplinary matters. Betancur then traveled to the city of Medellín
Medellín
Medellín , officially the Municipio de Medellín or Municipality of Medellín, is the second largest city in Colombia. It is in the Aburrá Valley, one of the more northerly of the Andes in South America. It has a population of 2.3 million...
, where he enrolled in the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana. There, he excelled in his studies and obtained exceptional grades. Upon completing his high-school education, the Headmaster of the school, Monsignor Manuel José Sierra, granted him a scholarship to complete his higher education. In 1955, Betancur graduated in jurisprudence and obtained a Law and Economics degree.
Political career
He began his political career as a Deputy to the Assembly of the Colombian province of Antioquia, where he served form 1945 to 1947. He also served as a Representative to the National Chamber for the departments of CundinamarcaCundinamarca Department
- Origin of the name :The name of Cundinamarca comes from Kundur marqa, an indigenous expression, probably derived from Quechua. Meaning "Condor's Nest", it was used in pre-Columbian times by the natives of the Magdalena Valley to refer to the nearby highlands....
and Antioquia, and was a member of the National Constituent Assembly from 1953 to 1957.
Betancur was the Minister of Labor in 1963 and Ambassador of Colombia to Spain from 1975 to 1977.
Presidency
In 1982 he was elected President of the Republic and served until 1986. As President, he began the Grupo de Contadora por la Paz en Centroamérica, began democratic reforms by incorporating the principal armed movements into civil life, promoted low-cost housing and open universities, began a literacy campaign and endorsed tax amnesty.During his term, the government approved the mayoral election law, municipal and departmental reforms, judicial and congressional reforms, the television statute, the federal holiday
Federal holiday
In the United States, a federal holiday is a public holiday recognized by the United States federal government. Non-essential federal government offices are closed...
law, and the new Código Contencioso Administrativo. His administration began the exploration and export of coal in the Cerrejón North region and the broadcast of the regional television channels Teleantioquia and Telecaribe.
Betancur is also noted for his attempts to bring peace to his country. During his administration he initiated peace talks with several Colombian guerrilla groups. The controversial Palace of Justice siege
Palace of Justice siege
The Palace of Justice siege was a 1985 attack against the Supreme Court of Colombia, in which members of the M-19 guerrilla group took over the Palace of Justice in Bogotá, Colombia, and held the Supreme Court hostage, intending to hold a trial against President Belisario Betancur...
occurred in late 1985, less than a year before the end of his presidential term.
Post-Presidency
Betancur is currently the Vice-president of the Club of RomeClub of Rome
The Club of Rome is a global think tank that deals with a variety of international political issues. Founded in 1968 at Accademia dei Lincei in Rome, Italy, the CoR describes itself as "a group of world citizens, sharing a common concern for the future of humanity." It consists of current and...
for Latin America, President of the Commission for Truth in the Salvadoran peace process, President of the Pan American Health Organization
Pan American Health Organization
The Pan American Health Organization is an international public health agency with over 100 years of experience working to improve health and living standards of the people of the Americas...
in Washington, and President of the Santillana for Latin America Foundation in Bogotá. He is also a founding member of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences
Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences
The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences was established in January 1994 by Pope John Paul II. It is headquartered in the Casina Pio IV in the Vatican. Professor Edmond Malinvaud was its first president...
.
Betancur is a member of the Club of Madrid
Club of Madrid
The Club de Madrid is an independent non-profit organization created to promote democracy and change in the international community. Composed of 80 former Presidents and Prime Ministers from 56 countries, the Club de Madrid is the world’s largest forum of former Heads of State and Government.Among...
, an independent non-profit organization composed of 81 democratic former Presidents and Prime Ministers from 57 different countries.