Alberto Lleras Camargo

July 3, 1909 (age 80)

Bogotá, Colombia

In Buenos Aires he became a newspaperman. Later he directed the Bogotá daily El Tiempo and founded the weekly Semana. In 1930 he was elected to the Chamber of Deputies before he reached the required age of 25. Lleras Camargo served as minister of the interior from 1935 to 1937 and in 1938 he founded the newspaper El Liberal; thereafter he held many cabinet and diplomatic posts. After President Alfonso Lopez resigned in July 1945, Lleras Camargo, then foreign minister, became provisional president and formed a coalition government with the Conservatives. This caused a split in the Liberal party and the election of a Conservative president in 1946. From 1948 to 1954 Lleras served as the first secretary-general of the Organization of American States. In 1954 he became president of the Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, but the next year he was forced into exile by the populist dictatorship of General Gustavo Rojas Pinilla. In 1956 Lleras met in Spain with the Conservative former dictator Laureano Gomez to plan the overthrow of Rojas Pinilla, which duly occurred on May 10, 1957. Lleras and Gomez then formed a 16-year National Front whereby their parties agreed to share all offices and to alternate in the presidency. In 1958 Lleras was elected the first National Front president. In 1962, at the end of his term, he resumed his career as a writer and journalist.

Alberto Lleras Camargo

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politician statesman

Background

He was born in Bogotá on July 3, 1909.

Education

He was educated at the National University in BogotáBogota and after leaving law school went to Buenos Aires.

Career

In Buenos Aires he became a newspaperman. Later he directed the Bogotá daily El Tiempo and founded the weekly Semana. In 1930 he was elected to the Chamber of Deputies before he reached the required age of 25. Lleras Camargo served as minister of the interior from 1935 to 1937 and in 1938 he founded the newspaper El Liberal; thereafter he held many cabinet and diplomatic posts.

After President Alfonso Lopez resigned in July 1945, Lleras Camargo, then foreign minister, became provisional president and formed a coalition government with the Conservatives. This caused a split in the Liberal party and the election of a Conservative president in 1946. From 1948 to 1954 Lleras served as the first secretary-general of the Organization of American States. In 1954 he became president of the Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, but the next year he was forced into exile by the populist dictatorship of General Gustavo Rojas Pinilla. In 1956 Lleras met in Spain with the Conservative former dictator Laureano Gomez to plan the overthrow of Rojas Pinilla, which duly occurred on May 10, 1957.

Lleras and Gomez then formed a 16-year National Front whereby their parties agreed to share all offices and to alternate in the presidency. In 1958 Lleras was elected the first National Front president. In 1962, at the end of his term, he resumed his career as a writer and journalist.

Achievements

He was the 20th President of Colombia. At only thirty-nine years-old, he became one of the youngest Acting Presidents in Colombian history. During his short year in office, the Greater Colombian Merchant Fleet was founded and the Constitutional Reform of 1945 completed.

Politics

He became the first Liberal to preside over the Chamber in more than forty years.

Connections

He married Bertha Puga Martínez.

Spouse:: Bertha Puga Martínez (1931–1990)
child:: Ximena Lleras Puga
child:: Alberto Lleras Puga
child:: Consuelo Lleras Puga
child:: Marcela Lleras Puga
Cousin:: Carlos Lleras Restrepo

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