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Belisario Betancur Cuartas (February 4, 1923, Amagá, Department of Antioquia) is a Colombian statesman, the President of Colombia from 1982 to 1986.
[edit] Early yearsBetancur earned a Law and Economics degree from the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana in Medellín in 1947. 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 Cundinamarca 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. [edit] PresidencyIn 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 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 guerilla groups. The controversial Palace of Justice siege occurred in late 1985, less than a year before the end of his presidential term. [edit] Post-PresidencyBetancur is currently the Vice-president of the Club of Rome for Latin America, President of the Commission for Truth in the Salvadoran peace process, President of the Pan-American Health Office 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. Member of the Club of Madrid. [1] [edit] HonorsBetancur is the recipient of an honorary doctorate from the Universities of Colorado and Georgetown, and the Prince of Asturias Peace Award (Spain). He is the author of numerous books and a member of the Colombian Academies of History, Jurisprudence and Language. [edit] Notes
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