Who's
Who in the Colombian Government
| Casa
de Nariño (Presidency of Colombia) |
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President:
Alvaro Uribe Vélez
Job Description: The
President of Colombia is the Chief of State, Chief of
Government and the supreme adminstartive authority.
http://www.presidencia.gov.co/presidente/
Mr.
Uribe ran as an independent and won the first round
of presidential elections on May 26, 2002. Uribe has
had a long public service career; he has been mayor
of Medellín, senator and governor of populous
Antioquia department. As a presidential "pre-candidate"
during Andrés Pastrana's presidency (1998-2002),
Uribe was an outspoken critic of Pastrana's unsuccessful
peace talks with the FARC and ELN. Uribe has promised
to get tough with the guerrillas. He also has vowed
to reconstruct the government, attack corruption and
reactivate the economy.
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Vice
President: Francisco
"Pacho" Santos
Job
Description: Carries
out any missions or special assignments as dictated
by the president. These have included advising the president
in the areas of Human Rights and the fight against corruption.
http://www.presidencia.gov.co/vice/
Mr.
Santos founded the Fundación País Libre,
a human rights group focused on the fight against kidnapping,
and was part of the organizing comittee for the "No
Más"campaign against the war and kidnapping.
Santos was also the editor of El Tiempo, Colombia's
largest newspaper, which is owned by the Santos family.
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Alto
Comisionado para la paz: Luis Carlos Restrepo Ramirez
Job Description: Is the governments main
negotiator when talking to the colombian armed groups.
http://www.altocomisionadoparalapaz.gov.co/
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Accion
Social: Luis Alfonso Hoyos
Job Description: He is in charge of the coordination
and development of social action politics proposed by
the colombian government and the foreign relations ministry.
He is also in charge of administrating and promoting
international cooperation under the foreign relations
ministry.
http://www.red.gov.co/
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| Ministry
of Interior and Justice |
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Minister
of Interior and Justice: Sabas Pretelt de la Vega
Job
Description: The Uribe administration merged
these two ministies. The Ministry of Interior formulates
and implements all governance polices. Consequently, it
deals with all domestic political issues, peace, basic rights
and liberties, citzen participation in the political and
social life of the nation, indigenous issues, and the relationship
between the nation and all territorial entities. The Ministry
of Justice evaluates the country's judicial system, its
application, impact and development in order to frame judicial
policy.
http://www.presidencia.gov.co/ministerios/
Mr.
Pretelt de la Vega, a member of the Conservative Party,
was President of Colombia's powerful National Federation
of Commerce (FENALCO). He was also a strong supporter of
Mr. Uribe's referendum initiative. The new minister will
face a complex legislative agenda, including economic reforms,
controversial anti-terrorist legislation and structural
reforms to the state. |
| Minsitry
of Foreign Relations |
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Minister
of Foreign Relations: Carolina Barco
Job
Description: The
Ministry of Foreign Relations proposes, coordinates
and executes Colombia's foreign policy, under the command
of the president. It also administers Colombia's foreign
service.
http://www.presidencia.gov.co/ministerios/relaciones.htm
Ms.
Barco will have to convince the international community
to continue and increase its assistance to Colombia.
She will also have to strengthen political relationships
with the United States and neighboring countries, particularly
Venezuela.
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Colombian
Ambassador to the United States: Andrés
Pastrana
Job
Description: The
Ambassador is charged with representing Colombia in
the United States and managing the Colombian embassy
in Washington.
http://www.colombiaemb.org/
This position is new to Mr. Pastrana.
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Minister
of Domestic Finance: Alberto Carrasquilla Barrera
Job
Description: Develop all state policies regarding
managing federal finances, collecting taxes, managing
Government accounts and the public debt and enforcing
finance and tax laws.
Mr.
Carrasquilla has the great challenge of moving the economy
forward while tightening government spending and increasing
taxes. He is likely to face strong opposition in Congress
as he continues to push for tax reform.
Prior
to becoming Minister Carrasquilla was Dean of the School
of Economics at the Universidad de los Andes.
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Minister
of Commerce: Jorge
Humberto Botero
Job
Description: The Uribe administration has
merged the Ministry of Economic Development and Foreign
Commerce under this heading.
http://www.presidencia.gov.co/ministerios/comercio.htm
The
new minister will develop economic policies to further
economic and social development. He will also direct,
coordinate and execute all foreign economic policy,
in coordination with domestic programs.
Mr.
Botero, a lawyer with an extensive background in the
private and public sectors, served as judicial secretary
for the Barco administration (1986-1990) and has been
the president of ASOBANCARIA and ASOFONDOS.
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| Ministry
of Labor and Health |
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Ministry
of Labor and Health: Diego Palacio
Job
Description: The
Uribe Administration also merged these two offices.
The new minister will be charged with coordinating,
formulating, and directing all policies dealing with
work, labor, and social security. He will also deal
with formulating all programs, plans and projects dealing
with the health care system, scientific and adminstrative
norms to promote health, treatment of diseases, and
rehabilitation programs.
http://www.presidencia.gov.co/ministerios/trabajo.htm
As
Minister of Labor his job will focus on employment,
as the Uribe administration has committed itself to
creating 2.5 million jobs during its four years. In
Congress he will be charged with spearheading the debate
around pension reform.
As
Minister of Health he will have to deal with the financial
crisis of hospitals and clinics throughout Colombia.
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| Ministry
of Mines and Energy |
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Minister
of Mines and Energy:
Luis Ernesto Mejía Castro
Job Description: Responsible for the oversight
and development of all technical, economic, judicial,
industrial and commercial activities regarding the use
of natural resources and energy sources throughout the
country in accordance with the national development
plan.
http://www.presidencia.gov.co/ministerios/minas.htm
Mr
Mejía's number one priority will be to deal with
the country's energy sector crisis; he knows and understands
this sector very well, as he was vice-minister in the
Pastrana government.
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| Ministry
of Transportation |
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Minister
of Transportation:
Andres Uriel Gallego
Job Description: Oversee and execute all
national policy in the areas of transportation and infrastructure.
http://www.presidencia.gov.co/ministerios/transporte.htm
Mr.
Gallego will have to rethink strategies set forth by
previous governments, many of which have proven very
expensive. He will also be charged with the continued
implementation of programs financed with Plan Colombia
funds, such as "Roads for Peace."
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Minister
of Education:
Cecilia María Vélez
Job Description: Formulate policies, programs,
plans and objectives to adequatly gurantee the best
possible education service.
http://www.presidencia.gov.co/ministerios/educacion.htm
Ms.
Vélez will have to deal with a number of challenges,
such as increasing public schools' coverage. She will
also seek to establish mandatory evaluations for teachers
and students and minimum achievement standards.
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Minister
of Environment:
Sandra Suárez
Job Description: Define policies and regulations
to guarantee the appropriate management and use of all renewable
natural resources and the environment.
http://www.presidencia.gov.co/ministerios/ambiente.htm
Ms.
Suárez, Uribe's former director for implementing
Plan Colombia, is charged with protecting Colombia's environment.
With only 15 months of public experience, Ms. Suárez
will face significant challenges.
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| Ministry
of Communications |
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Minister
of Communication:
Martha Elena Pinto de Hart
Job Description: Coordinate the services that
are part of the communications sector, establish rules and
dictate norms that regulate the sector's functioning.
http://www.presidencia.gov.co/ministerios/comunicacion.htm
Ms.
Hart will be very busy dealing with pending legislation
set in motion by the previous administration. |
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