Luis Humberto Gómez Gallo
Encyclopedia
Luis Humberto Gómez Gallo (born 26 June 1962) is a Colombian industrial engineer specialized in business administration and constitutional law. A Conservative
politician, he served as President of the Senate of Colombia where he had been a Senator from 1994 until 2008 when he was charged and arrested as part of a wider parapolitica scandal.
graduating in Industrial engineering
and did post graduate studies in business administration. He also did post graduate studies at the Universidad Externado de Colombia
graduating in constiturional law.
.
and was elected senator of Colombia. He was then reelected for the 1998, 2002 and 2006 period. He was president of the senate and President of the Congress of Colombia
for the period between July 20, 2004 and July 20, 2005. He was married to Zulema Jattin Corrales
.
As senator Gomez-Gallo was President of the First Commission of Congress from July 20, 2003 to July 20, 2004 which debates topics related to Constitutional matters. He was also Vice President for this same commission for two consecutive periods.
after being involved in the Parapolitica scandal in which politicians mingled with paramilitary groups
to coerce voters in their favor. He is also investigated for his relationship to drug trafficker Eduardo Restrepo Victoria
, alias "El Socio".
On October 10, 2007 units of the Attorney General of Colombia
arrested Gomez Gallo in Bogota after the President of the Penal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Colombia
issued an arrest warrant against him. This after a paramilitary under investigation named José Wilton Bedoya Rayo, alias 'Moisés', from the Tolima Bloc of the demobilized United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia
accused him of being involved in the assassination of congressman Pompilio de Jesús Avendaño in 2001. According to the paramilitary member Gomez Gallo paid COP$300 million pesos for the assassination.
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...
politician, he served as President of the Senate of Colombia where he had been a Senator from 1994 until 2008 when he was charged and arrested as part of a wider parapolitica scandal.
Early years
He attended the Catholic University of ColombiaCatholic University of Colombia
The Catholic University of Colombia is a private institution of higher education. It was founded in Bogotá, Colombia in 1970, noting in his early loyalty to the Catholic Church doctrine. The institution now has 10,300 undergraduates...
graduating in Industrial engineering
Industrial engineering
Industrial engineering is a branch of engineering dealing with the optimization of complex processes or systems. It is concerned with the development, improvement, implementation and evaluation of integrated systems of people, money, knowledge, information, equipment, energy, materials, analysis...
and did post graduate studies in business administration. He also did post graduate studies at the Universidad Externado de Colombia
Universidad Externado de Colombia
The Universidad Externado de Colombia in Bogotá, Colombia, is a private university which grants 4 and 5 year primary and professional degrees as well as advanced 2-year Magister degrees. Instruction is primarily in Spanish. The dean is Dr...
graduating in constiturional law.
Political career
Gomez-Gallo was appointed Secretary of Public Works for the Department of Tolima. In 1986 he ran for councilman for a seat in the Council of Ibague for which he was elected for the period 1986-1992 representing the Colombian Conservative PartyColombian 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...
.
Senator of Colombia (1997- Present)
In 1994 Gomez-Gallo ran for congressCongress of Colombia
The Congress of the Republic of Colombia is the name given to Colombia's bicameral national legislature.The Congress of Colombia consists of the 102-seat Senate , and the 166-seat Chamber of Representatives ...
and was elected senator of Colombia. He was then reelected for the 1998, 2002 and 2006 period. He was president of the senate and President of the Congress of Colombia
President of the Congress of Colombia
The President of the Congress of Colombia is the leader of the Congress of the Republic of Colombia. The Presidency of Congress is assumed by the person elected as President of the Senate of Colombia by members of the Senate in an election held every year on July 20...
for the period between July 20, 2004 and July 20, 2005. He was married to Zulema Jattin Corrales
Zulema Jattin Corrales
-Personal life:Zulema del Carmen was born on 31 July 1969 in Lorica, Cordobá to Francisco José Jattin Safar and Ema Corrales. She married on 22 June 2002 to Luis Humberto Gómez Gallo but divorced in 2003; together they had one daughter Zulema María.-References:...
.
As senator Gomez-Gallo was President of the First Commission of Congress from July 20, 2003 to July 20, 2004 which debates topics related to Constitutional matters. He was also Vice President for this same commission for two consecutive periods.
Parapolitica scandal
Gómez Gallo is currently under investigation by the Supreme Court of ColombiaSupreme Court of Colombia
The Supreme Court of Colombia in Bogotá is the highest judicial body in civil and penal matters and issues of criminal and civil procedure in Colombia...
after being involved in the Parapolitica scandal in which politicians mingled with paramilitary groups
Paramilitarism in Colombia
Paramilitarism in Colombia refers to the origins and activities of far right-wing paramilitary groups in Colombia during the 20th century.Right-wing paramilitary groups are the parties considered to be most responsible for human rights violations in Colombia during the later half of the current...
to coerce voters in their favor. He is also investigated for his relationship to drug trafficker Eduardo Restrepo Victoria
Eduardo Restrepo Victoria
Eduardo Restrepo Victoria alias "El Socio" is a Colombian drug trafficker former member of the Norte del Valle Cartel and associate of Wilber Varela. Restrepo was wanted by Colombian authorities on charges of illegal drug trade, illicit enrichment and illegal arms possession...
, alias "El Socio".
On October 10, 2007 units of the Attorney General of Colombia
Attorney General of Colombia
The Office of the Attorney General of Colombia is the Colombian institution part of the Colombian judicial branch of Government with administrative autonomy designed to prosecute offenders, investigate crimes, review judicial processes and accuse penal law infractions against judges and courts of...
arrested Gomez Gallo in Bogota after the President of the Penal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Colombia
Supreme Court of Colombia
The Supreme Court of Colombia in Bogotá is the highest judicial body in civil and penal matters and issues of criminal and civil procedure in Colombia...
issued an arrest warrant against him. This after a paramilitary under investigation named José Wilton Bedoya Rayo, alias 'Moisés', from the Tolima Bloc of the demobilized United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia
United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia
The United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia was created as an umbrella organization of regional far-right...
accused him of being involved in the assassination of congressman Pompilio de Jesús Avendaño in 2001. According to the paramilitary member Gomez Gallo paid COP$300 million pesos for the assassination.