Career
Suárez"s predecessor as the Governor of Guaviare, Oscar López Cadavid, resigned from office due to an investigation over his alleged ties to drug traffickers and Pedro "Cuchillo" Oliveiro Guerrero, a militia leader. Liberal candidate Janeth Solano came in a distant third place with 865 votes. Suárez"s election ended twelve consecutive years of Conservative Party rule in Guaviare.
In the early morning of December 4, 2010, Governor Suárez was fatally injured in a car accident while driving on the road known for potholes from Granada, Meta to San José del Guaviare.
He had been attending a regional forum in Granada on the previous day. The accident took place in an area called Los Mangos, a rural section of the municipality of Puerto Concordia in Meta Department.
Suarez suffered severe head injuries in the accident, including a cerebral hemorrhage and inflammation. He was flown by helicopter to the hospital, where he underwent surgery to relieve pressure to his brain.
According to the director of the Hospital Departamental de Villavicencio, Dagoberto Suárez died during the operation at the age of 35.
Five of Suarez"s bodyguards were treated and released from the hospital. Paul Robledo, the deputy justice minister of Guaviare, became the acting governor until a permanent successor could be chosen.
