María Ángela Holguín
Encyclopedia
María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar (born 13 November 1963) is a Colombian political scientist and career diplomat currently serving as Minister of Foreign Affairs
of Colombia
. She also served as the 25th Permanent Representative of Colombia to the United Nations
and Colombia Ambassador to Venezuela during President Álvaro Uribe Vélez's first term.
and Jorge Holguín
, Presidents of Colombia from 1888–1892 and 1921-1922 respectively, and are related to a number of other Presidents and key political figures throughout the history of Colombia to present time. She married Santiago Jiménez Mejía on August 27, 1983 but later divorced having no children. She later met Carlos Espinosa Pérez with whom she had a son, Antonio, on January 23, 1991
She studied at the Gimnasio Femenino school in Bogota, French
at the Université Paris X, and graduated from the University of the Andes
in 1988 with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science
where she also completed a specialization in Public Management and Administrative Institutions in 1992.
, the newly president-elect Juan Manuel Santos Calderón nominated Holguín to head the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Her nomination to the Chancellery
was hailed as a wise political move given the diplomatic problems in the region following the 2008 Andean diplomatic crisis
; Holguín's Ambassadorship in Venezuela was overall seen as the tacit endorsement that enabled her to tackle the diplomatic détente
between the sister nations, while her work with the Andean Development Corporation signalled Santos' desire to strengthen ties with the rest of the continent.
Before having officially taken office, Holguín accompanied president-elect Santos on his first overseas trip after being elected, taking the diplomatic role head on during their meetings with the British Prime Minister David Cameron
, and the German Chancellor Angela Merkel
. Holguín as Chancellor-designate also headed talks with the Venezuelan Chancellor Nicolás Maduro
that spearheaded the renewal of diplomatic ties with the neighbouring nation that were later formalized in a meeting held in Santa Marta
between the two Presidents. Holguín then travelled to Ecuador
to meet with the Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Ricardo Patiño to convince Quito
to renew diplomatic ties and to personally invite President Rafael Correa
to attend the inauguration, a feat she managed having in mind that Ecuador had an arrest warrant for Santos for his action as Minister of National Defence of Colombia.
On August 7, 2010 after Santos was officially sworn in as President of Colombia, Holguín followed suit and was officially sworn in as Minister of Foreign Affairs.
On June 3, 2011, Holguín declared, following a working meeting in Washington
, that Colombia will continue to be the most "pro-United States
" country in Latin America
, despite pending issues such as the Free-Trade Agreement (FTA
).
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Colombia)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also known as the Chancellery, is the national executive ministry of the Government of Colombia responsible for the foreign relations of Colombia through its diplomatic missions abroad by formulating foreign policy relevant to the matters of the State, it is...
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...
. She also served as the 25th Permanent Representative of Colombia to the United Nations
Permanent Representative of Colombia to the United Nations
The Permanent Representative of Colombia to the United Nations is the Chief of Mission of the delegation of Colombia, and highest permanent representative of the Government of Colombia to the United Nations...
and Colombia Ambassador to Venezuela during President Álvaro Uribe Vélez's first term.
Background
María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar was born on November 13, 1963 to Julio Holguín Umaña and Lucila Cuéllar Calderón. The Holguíns come from an old well established political family in the history of Colombia, most notably they are descendants of CarlosCarlos Holguín Mallarino
Carlos Holguín Mallarino was a Colombian lawyer, journalist and statesman who became President of Colombia between 1888 and 1892, acting in the absence of President Rafael Núñez.- Biographic data :...
and Jorge Holguín
Jorge Holguín
Jorge Marcelo Holguín Mallarino was a Colombian politician and military officer, two time Acting President of Colombia for the periods between June, 1909 to August of the same year as interim president, and from November, 1921 to August, 1922...
, Presidents of Colombia from 1888–1892 and 1921-1922 respectively, and are related to a number of other Presidents and key political figures throughout the history of Colombia to present time. She married Santiago Jiménez Mejía on August 27, 1983 but later divorced having no children. She later met Carlos Espinosa Pérez with whom she had a son, Antonio, on January 23, 1991
She studied at the Gimnasio Femenino school in Bogota, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
at the Université Paris X, and graduated 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 1988 with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
where she also completed a specialization in Public Management and Administrative Institutions in 1992.
Diplomatic career
In 2010, while serving as Colombia Representative to the Andean Development Corporation in Buenos AiresBuenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, the newly president-elect Juan Manuel Santos Calderón nominated Holguín to head the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Her nomination to the Chancellery
Chancellor
Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
was hailed as a wise political move given the diplomatic problems in the region following the 2008 Andean diplomatic crisis
2008 Andean diplomatic crisis
The 2008 Andean diplomatic crisis was a diplomatic stand-off between the South American countries of Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela. It began with an incursion into Ecuadorian territory across the Putumayo River by the Colombian military on March 1, 2008, leading to the deaths of over twenty...
; Holguín's Ambassadorship in Venezuela was overall seen as the tacit endorsement that enabled her to tackle the diplomatic détente
Détente
Détente is the easing of strained relations, especially in a political situation. The term is often used in reference to the general easing of relations between the Soviet Union and the United States in the 1970s, a thawing at a period roughly in the middle of the Cold War...
between the sister nations, while her work with the Andean Development Corporation signalled Santos' desire to strengthen ties with the rest of the continent.
Before having officially taken office, Holguín accompanied president-elect Santos on his first overseas trip after being elected, taking the diplomatic role head on during their meetings with the British Prime Minister David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
, and the German Chancellor Angela Merkel
Angela Merkel
Angela Dorothea Merkel is the current Chancellor of Germany . Merkel, elected to the Bundestag from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, has been the chairwoman of the Christian Democratic Union since 2000, and chairwoman of the CDU-CSU parliamentary coalition from 2002 to 2005.From 2005 to 2009 she led a...
. Holguín as Chancellor-designate also headed talks with the Venezuelan Chancellor Nicolás Maduro
Nicolás Maduro
Nicolás Maduro Moros is a Venezuelan politician who was appointed foreign minister by President Hugo Chávez on 9 August 2006.- Biography :...
that spearheaded the renewal of diplomatic ties with the neighbouring nation that were later formalized in a meeting held in Santa Marta
Santa Marta
Santa Marta is the capital city of the Colombian department of Magdalena in the Caribbean Region. It was founded in July 29, 1525 by the Spanish conqueror Rodrigo de Bastidas, which makes it the oldest remaining city in Colombia...
between the two Presidents. Holguín then travelled to Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
to meet with the Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Ricardo Patiño to convince Quito
Quito
San Francisco de Quito, most often called Quito , is the capital city of Ecuador in northwestern South America. It is located in north-central Ecuador in the Guayllabamba river basin, on the eastern slopes of Pichincha, an active stratovolcano in the Andes mountains...
to renew diplomatic ties and to personally invite President Rafael Correa
Rafael Correa
Rafael Vicente Correa Delgado born is the President of the Republic of Ecuador and was the president pro tempore of the Union of South American Nations. An economist educated in Ecuador, Belgium and the United States, he was elected President in late 2006 and took office in January 2007...
to attend the inauguration, a feat she managed having in mind that Ecuador had an arrest warrant for Santos for his action as Minister of National Defence of Colombia.
On August 7, 2010 after Santos was officially sworn in as President of Colombia, Holguín followed suit and was officially sworn in as Minister of Foreign Affairs.
On June 3, 2011, Holguín declared, following a working meeting in Washington
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....
, that Colombia will continue to be the most "pro-United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
" country in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
, despite pending issues such as the Free-Trade Agreement (FTA
FTA
FTA may stand for:* The Faery Tale Adventure, a computer game* Freight Transport Association* Failure to appear, a legal term* Fault tree analysis, a systems engineering term* Federación de Trabajadores Arubanos, the Aruban Workers' Federation...
).