Gabriel Silva Luján
Encyclopedia
Gabriel Silva Luján is the current Ambassador of Colombia to the United States. Silva, who was Colombia's Minister of National Defence
from 2009 to 2010 and General Manager of the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia, had already served as Ambassador in Washington, D.C.
from 1993 to 1994.
in the Department of Atlántico
, Colombia
on October 5, 1957, the fifth of nine children to a cachaco family from Santander
. After completing his secondary education
at the Colegio San Carlos
and graduating with a degree in Political Science with a concentration in Economics from the University of the Andes
in Bogotá, Silva travelled to the United States
where he completed his graduate studies in Economics and International Relations at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies
of Johns Hopkins University
in Washington D.C. under a Ford Foundation
fellowship
grant.
, Peru
during Santos's pre-inauguration international tour. His appointment was interpreted as a reiteration of Colombia's security concerns going forward: "I believe that the purpose of my appointment is a clear signal that security and defence issues in bilateral relations with the United States are still very important," Silva told reporters.
Ministry of National Defense (Colombia)
The Ministry of National Defence , is the national executive ministry of the Government of Colombia charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government relating directly to national security and the armed forces of Colombia, similar to the defense ministries in...
from 2009 to 2010 and General Manager of the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia, had already served as Ambassador in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
from 1993 to 1994.
Background
Gabriel Silva Luján was born in the city of BarranquillaBarranquilla
Barranquilla is an industrial port city and municipality located in northern Colombia, near the Caribbean Sea. The capital of the Atlántico Department, it is the largest industrial city and port in the Colombian Caribbean region with a population of 1,148,506 as of 2005, which makes it Colombia's...
in the Department of Atlántico
Atlántico Department
Atlántico is a department of Colombia, located in northern Colombia with the Caribbean sea to its north, the Bolívar Department to its south, and the Magdalena Department to its east separated by the Magdalena River...
, Colombia
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...
on October 5, 1957, the fifth of nine children to a cachaco family from Santander
Santander Department
Santander is a department of Colombia. Santander inherited the name of one of the nine original states of the United States of Colombia. It is located in the central northern part of the country, east of the Magdalena River, bordered to the south and southeast by Boyacá, to the northeast by Norte...
. After completing his secondary education
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
at the Colegio San Carlos
Colegio San Carlos
Colegio San Carlos is an all-male, private, bilingual school in Bogotá, Colombia. The school has been recognized as the source of many national leaders.The school works under the auspice of the Benedictine Monasterio de Tibati...
and graduating with a degree in Political Science with a concentration in Economics from the University of the Andes
University of the Andes, Colombia
The University of the Andes , is a coeducational, nonsectarian private university located in city centre Bogotá, Colombia. Founded in 1948, the University has 9 faculties: Administration, Architecture and Design, Arts and Humanities, Sciences, Social Sciences, Law, Economics, Engineering and...
in Bogotá, Silva travelled to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
where he completed his graduate studies in Economics and International Relations at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies
Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies
The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies , a division of Johns Hopkins University based in Washington, D.C., is one of the world's leading and most prestigious graduate schools devoted to the study of international affairs, economics, diplomacy, and policy research and...
of Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
in Washington D.C. under a Ford Foundation
Ford Foundation
The Ford Foundation is a private foundation incorporated in Michigan and based in New York City created to fund programs that were chartered in 1936 by Edsel Ford and Henry Ford....
fellowship
Fellowship
Fellowship may refer to:* An academic position: see fellow* A merit-based scholarship, or form of academic financial aid* Fellowship , a period of medical training after a residency...
grant.
Minister of Defence
Present Ambassadorship
Silva was named Ambassador to the United States by the President-elect Juan Manuel Santos on July 27, 2010 during an official visit to limaLima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
during Santos's pre-inauguration international tour. His appointment was interpreted as a reiteration of Colombia's security concerns going forward: "I believe that the purpose of my appointment is a clear signal that security and defence issues in bilateral relations with the United States are still very important," Silva told reporters.
Collaborations
- Silva Luján, Gabriel in
- "El Origen del frente Nacional y el Gobierno de la Junta Militar" [The Origins of the National Front and the Government of the Military Junta]. pp 179–210.
- "Lleras Camargo y Valencia: Entre El Reformismo y La Represión" [Lleras Camargo and Valencia: Between Reformism and Repression]. pp 211–236.
- "Carlos Lleras y Misael Pastrana: Reformas del Estado y Crisis del Frente Nacional" [Carlos Lleras and Misael Pastrana: State Reforms and Crisis of the National Front]. pp 237–262.