Martha Lucía Ramírez
Encyclopedia
Marta Lucía Ramírez is a Colombian lawyer, diplomat, and politician. She served as Minister of National Defence
, and 6th Minister of Foreign Trade
of Colombia
, the first woman to ever hold either post. Ramírez was also Ambassador of Colombia to France
in 2002 and Senator of Colombia from 2006 to 2009.
and later did post graduate studies on Commerce law, Higher Management, Financial legislation. She obtained a Fellow
from Harvard University
's Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, specializing on topics related to foreign commerce.
as minister and she as her vice minister from 1991 until 1994 during the presidency of César Gaviria
.
from 1998 until 2002.
as President of Colombia, Ramírez went back to Colombia.
becoming the second woman in Latin America to ever hold this title, after Michelle Bachelet
who later became President of Chile
. She served in this position from 2002 until 2003.
(WTO). In 2006 Ramírez ran for congress representing the Social National Unity Party
(U) in the legislative elections of 2006
. She was elected senator with 64,966 votes.
Due to internal differences within the party the collectivity elected Carlos García Orjuela as head of the political party. Ramírez and other members of the party like senators Gina Parody
and Armando Benedetti
, and chamber representative Nicolás Uribe organized a dissidence.
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...
, and 6th Minister of Foreign Trade
Ministry of Foreign Trade (Colombia)
The Ministry of Foreign Trade also known as Mincomex, was a national executive ministry of the Government of Colombia in charge of foreign trade issues in order to improve the Economy of Colombia. It was merged with the Ministry of Economic Development to form the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and...
of 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...
, the first woman to ever hold either post. Ramírez was also Ambassador of Colombia to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 2002 and Senator of Colombia from 2006 to 2009.
Early years
Ramírez studied law at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in BogotáBogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
and later did post graduate studies on Commerce law, Higher Management, Financial legislation. She obtained a Fellow
Harvard Society of Fellows
The Harvard Society of Fellows is a group of scholars selected at the beginning of their careers by Harvard University for extraordinary scholarly potential, upon whom distinctive academic and intellectual opportunities are bestowed in order to foster their individual growth and intellectual...
from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
's Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, specializing on topics related to foreign commerce.
Political career
Between 1990 and 1991 Ramírez was appointed as Director of the Colombian Institute for Foreign Commerce before this entity being transformed into the Ministry of Foreign Commerce with Juan Manuel SantosJuan Manuel Santos
Juan Manuel Santos Calderón is a Colombian politician who has been the President of Colombia since 7 August 2010. He previously served as Minister of Foreign Trade, Minister of Finance, and Minister of National Defense.-Career:...
as minister and she as her vice minister from 1991 until 1994 during the presidency of César Gaviria
César Gaviria
César Gaviria Trujillo is a Colombian politician and a Latin American statesman. He served as President of Colombia from 1990 to 1994, and Secretary General of the Organization of American States from 1994 until 2004.-Early life:...
.
Minister of Foreign Commerce
She returned to Colombia and was appointed by President Andrés Pastrana as Minister of Foreign TradeMinistry of Foreign Trade (Colombia)
The Ministry of Foreign Trade also known as Mincomex, was a national executive ministry of the Government of Colombia in charge of foreign trade issues in order to improve the Economy of Colombia. It was merged with the Ministry of Economic Development to form the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and...
from 1998 until 2002.
Ambassador of Colombia in France
In 2002 Ramírez was then appointed as ambassador of Colombia in France for a few months. With the election of Álvaro UribeÁlvaro Uribe
Alvaro Uribe Vélez was the 58th President of Colombia, from 2002 to 2010. In August 2010 he was appointed Vice-chairman of the UN panel investigating the Gaza flotilla raid....
as President of Colombia, Ramírez went back to Colombia.
Minister of Defense
President Uribe decided to appoint Ramírez as Minister of DefenseMinistry 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...
becoming the second woman in Latin America to ever hold this title, after Michelle Bachelet
Michelle Bachelet
Verónica Michelle Bachelet Jeria is a Social Democrat politician who was President of Chile from 11 March 2006 to 11 March 2010. She was the first woman president of her country...
who later became President of Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
. She served in this position from 2002 until 2003.
Senator of Colombia
After the ministry of defense Ramírez became a national and international adviser for the World Trade OrganizationWorld Trade Organization
The World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948...
(WTO). In 2006 Ramírez ran for congress representing the Social National Unity Party
Social National Unity Party
The Social Party of National Unity , or Party of the U is a liberal conservative political party in Colombia. It attempts to unite various parliamentary supporters of Álvaro Uribe, the Uribistas, in one political party. Currently it is Colombia's largest political party.Security is the top...
(U) in the legislative elections of 2006
Colombian legislative election, 2006
On March 12, 2006 Colombians went to the polls to elect Senate and Chamber of Representatives. Presidential primaries were also held for the Liberal Party and the Alternative Democratic Pole.-Senate Members:...
. She was elected senator with 64,966 votes.
Due to internal differences within the party the collectivity elected Carlos García Orjuela as head of the political party. Ramírez and other members of the party like senators Gina Parody
Gina Parody
Gina María Parody d'Echeona is a Colombian lawyer politician, having served in both the Senate and the Chamber of Representatives of Colombia.-Career:...
and Armando Benedetti
Armando Benedetti
Armando Alberto Benedetti Villaneda is the former President of the Senate of Colombia. A journalist and Party of the U politician, he has been a Senator of Colombia since 2006, and has also served as a Member of the Chamber of Representatives of Colombia, and as Councillor for Bogotá.-Early...
, and chamber representative Nicolás Uribe organized a dissidence.