67 Notable alumni of
University of the Andes, Colombia
Updated:
The University of the Andes, Colombia is 613th in the world, 17th in Latin America, and 3rd in Colombia by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 67 notable alumni from the University of the Andes, Colombia sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff.
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César Gaviria
- Occupations
- diplomatpoliticianeconomist
- Biography
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César Augusto Gaviria Trujillo is a Colombian economist and politician who served as the President of Colombia from 1990 to 1994, Secretary General of the Organization of American States from 1994 to 2004 and National Director of the Colombian Liberal Party from 2005 to 2009. During his tenure as president, he summoned the Constituent Assembly of Colombia that enacted the Constitution of 1991.
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Sergio Fajardo
- Enrolled in the University of the Andes, Colombia
- In 1977 graduated with mathematician
- Occupations
- environmentalistpoliticianuniversity teachermathematicianjournalist
- Biography
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Sergio Fajardo Valderrama is a Colombian politician and mathematician. He first entered politics in 2003 when he was elected Mayor of Medellín, the second-largest city in Colombia and the capital of Antioquia. He was the mayor of Medellín from 2003 to 2007 and is widely recognized for transforming the city from a violent and impoverished place to a model of social and urban development. Fajardo was the vice presidential nominee of Antanas Mockus in 2010, finishing in second place after losing the runoff against Juan Manuel Santos and Angelino Garzon. Fajardo served as the governor of Antioquia from 2012 to 2016. Fajardo brands himself as a pragmatic politician with no particular ideology, with political analysts and media outlets in Colombia labelling him as a centrist politician not tied to the traditional parties in Colombia.
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Paola Turbay
- Occupations
- actormodelbeauty pageant contestant
- Biography
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Paola Turbay Gómez is a Colombian-American actress, model, tv host and beauty pageant titleholder. She was a regular in 3rd season of TV series Bosch
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Yaku Pérez
- Enrolled in the University of the Andes, Colombia
- Graduated with magister degree in criminology and criminal law
- Occupations
- lawyeruniversity teacherpoliticianindigenous leader of the Americasenvironmentalist
- Biography
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Yaku Sacha Pérez Guartambel, often simply known as Yaku Pérez, is an Ecuadorian politician and indigenous rights, human rights activist, who ran for president of the country in the 2021 presidential elections and came third in the first round. He ran for president again in the 2023 elections.
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Laura Restrepo
- Occupations
- journalistwriterpoet
- Biography
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Laura Restrepo is a Colombian author who began writing what were mainly political columns in her mid-twenties. Her first novel, Isle of Passion, is based on historical deeds that occurred on Clipperton Island.
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María Fernanda Cabal
- Occupations
- political scientistpolitician
- Biography
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María Fernanda Cabal Molina is a Colombian businesswoman, political scientist and politician.
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Fernando Botero Zea
- Occupations
- Modern Defense
- Biography
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Fernando Botero Zea is a businessman and liberal politician of dual Colombia and Mexican nationalities, mainly known for having served as Minister of National Defense of Colombia and also for being an important businessman based in Mexico City. He is the son of Colombian painter and sculptor Fernando Botero and cultural promoter and icon Gloria Zea.
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Gabriela Tafur Nader
- Occupations
- modellawyer
- Biography
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Gabriela Tafur Náder is a Colombian lawyer, model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Colombia 2018. She represented Colombia at Miss Universe 2019 and reached the Top 5.
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Jorge Enrique Robledo
- Occupations
- politicianarchitect
- Biography
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Jorge Enrique Robledo Castillo is a Colombian politician, architect, professor, and author. He served as a member of the Senate of Colombia from 2002 until 2022, when he decided to leave his position in congress to pursue the office of president of Colombia, ultimately losing to Gustavo Petro. On 21 June 2023, Robledo announced that he was running for mayor of Bogotá in the October 2023 elections.
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Clara López
- Occupations
- politicianlawyereconomist
- Biography
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Clara Eugenia López Obregón is a Colombian politician who was the Minister for Employment. She also served as Acting Mayor of Bogotá from 2011 to 2012. A Harvard-trained economist, she was the Alternative Democratic Pole's nominee for President of Colombia in the 2014 election.
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Mónica Jaramillo
- Occupations
- journalistmodelnews presenter
- Biography
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Mónica Patricia Jaramillo Giraldo known as Mónica Jaramillo, is a Colombian journalist, news presenter, model and former beauty pageant contestant.
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Andrés Felipe Arias Leiva
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Andrés Felipe Arias Leiva is a Colombian economist, sentenced to 17 years and 4 months of prison for a corruption scandal during his time as Minister of Agriculture. He served as the 8th Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Colombia from 2005 to 2009, and was a candidate for the Conservative Party nomination in the 2010 Colombian presidential election, ultimately losing to Noemí Sanín Posada.
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María Ángela Holguín
- Occupations
- diplomat
- Biography
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María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar is a Colombian politician and diplomat who has been serving as United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres’ Personal Envoy on Cyprus since 2024.
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Esteman
- Occupations
- singer
- Biography
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Esteban Mateus Williamson, known professionally as Esteman, is a Colombian singer and songwriter from Bogotá, Colombia.
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Luis Carlos Vélez
- Occupations
- television presenterjournalist
- Biography
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Luis Carlos Vélez / news executive. Velez anchors Linea de Fuego, Univision Noticias 24/7, daily political show and is La FM and RCN Radios 's news director and anchor of "La FM con Luis Carlos Velez" Monday to Friday from 5 - 10 am. He also writes an Opinion column for http://www.semana.com
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Alberto Carrasquilla Barrera
- Occupations
- economistinternational forum participantpoliticianminister
- Biography
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Alberto Carrasquilla Barrera is a Colombian politician who served as the Minister of Finance and Public Credit under the government of President Iván Duque, and previously under President Álvaro Uribe. In May 2021 he resigned office over the protests surrounding a controversial tax reform in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Carolina Sanín Paz
- Occupations
- writer
- Biography
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Carolina Sanín Paz is a Colombian writer who also holds Spanish citizenship. She has published novels, essays, short stories, and children's books. She has been a professor at SUNY Purchase in the United States, and at University of Los Andes and National University of Colombia in Colombia. She has also worked as a translator, as a television host, and as a film actress. She has contributed periodical columns to several Colombian and international newspapers and magazines.
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Piedad Bonnett
- Occupations
- literary criticpoetplaywrightwriter
- Biography
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Piedad Bonnett Vélez is a Colombian poet, playwright and novelist.
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Rafael Pardo Rueda
- Occupations
- economistpolitician
- Biography
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Rafael Pardo Rueda is a Colombian politician. A Liberal party politician and economist, he has previously served as the 1st Minister of Labour of Colombia serving in the Administration of President Juan Manuel Santos Calderón, Minister of National Defence, and was elected Senator of Colombia for the 2002-2006 legislative period.
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Andrés López Forero
- Occupations
- actor
- Biography
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Andrés López is a comedian and actor. He is considered a pioneer of stand-up comedy in Colombia. López gained notoriety in Colombia after releasing his show called La Pelota de Letras (The Ball of Letters) which earned him a Double Diamond award from Universal Music.
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Juan Carlos Echeverry
- Occupations
- politicianinternational forum participanteconomist
- Biography
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Juan Carlos Echeverry Garzón is a Colombian economist and former president of Ecopetrol, an oil and gas company. He served as the 68th Minister of Finance and Public Credit of Colombia from 2010 to 2012. He is the president of Econcept, a financial consulting firm in Bogotá and is an Associate Professor of Economics at University of the Andes. He was also a visiting professor at IE Business School, Madrid in 2013.
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María Victoria Angulo González
- Occupations
- economistpolitician
- Biography
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María Victoria Angulo González is a Colombian politician who served as Minister of National Education from 2018 to 2022.
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María Mercedes Carranza
- Occupations
- journalistwriterpoet
- Biography
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María Mercedes Carranza was a poet and journalist from Bogotá, Colombia, who spent most of her childhood in Spain.
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Fidel Cano Correa
- Occupations
- journalist
- Biography
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Fidel Cano Correa is a Colombian journalist, born 23 November 1965 in Bogotá. Since May 2004 he is the publisher of El Espectador, Colombia's oldest newspaper.
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Gloria Gaitán
- Occupations
- diplomatpoliticianwriter
- Biography
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Gloria Amparo de las Mercedes Gaitán Jaramillo is a Colombian writer, diplomat, and politician. She was a member of the Chamber of Representatives from 1970 to 1974, and served as Colombia's ambassador to Romania in 1982.
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Alicia Arango Olmos
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Alicia Victoria Arango Olmos is a Colombian politician and businesswoman, who served as the Minister of Interior and the Minister of Labor of Colombia. She was previously the private secretary of President Álvaro Uribe's Casa de Nariño and the nation's ambassador to the United Nations at Geneva.
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Samper
- Occupations
- songwritersinger
- Biography
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Juan Felipe Samper better known as "SAMPER" is a musician, songwriter, Colombian pop rock singer winner of 2 Premios Shock, 1 Premios Nuestra Tierra and Latin Grammy nominee.
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Beatriz González
- Occupations
- art historianart criticcuratorpainterengraver
- Biography
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Beatriz González is a Colombian painter, sculptor, critic, curator and art historian. González is often associated with the Pop Art movement. She is best known for her bright and colorful paintings depicting life in Colombia during the war-torn period known as La Violencia.
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Cecilia López Montaño
- Occupations
- economistpolitician
- Biography
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Cecilia Matilde López Montaño is an economist and Colombian politician. A member of the Liberal Party, she has been appointed to several cabinet positions. On September 27, 2009, she was a runner-up in the presidential primaries and was the only female candidate amongst six other members of the party.
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Mauricio Cárdenas Santa María
- Occupations
- politicianinternational forum participanteconomist
- Biography
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Mauricio Cárdenas Santamaría is a Colombian economist and politician who served as the 69th Minister of Finance and Public Credit and former Minister of Mines and Energy of Colombia in the administration of President Juan Manuel Santos Calderón. Prior to this, he was a Senior Fellow and Director of the Latin America Initiative at the Brookings Institution.
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Juan Lozano Ramírez
- Occupations
- journalistpoliticianlawyer
- Biography
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Juan Francisco Lozano Ramírez is a Colombian lawyer and journalist currently serving as Senator of Colombia and since 2010 has been the General Director of the Social Party of National Unity (Party of the U), Colombia's biggest political and most influential political coalition. Under the Administration of President Álvaro Uribe Vélez he served as the 3rd Minister of Environment, Housing and Territorial Development (2006-2009), High Presidential Advisor (2004-2006), and Presidential Advisor of Social Policy (2004), and had also served as Presidential Advisor for the Youth, Women, and Family (1990-1993) in the Administration of President César Gaviria Trujillo.
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Juan Fernando Cristo
- Occupations
- politicianlawyer
- Biography
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Juan Fernando Cristo Bustos is a Colombian lawyer and politician, who was a Colombian Senator from 1998-2014 Minister of the Interior from 2014-2017. In this capacity, he played a key role in negotiating and implementing the peace accords signed with FARC.
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Carlos Alberto Baena
- Occupations
- politicianlawyer
- Biography
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Carlos Alberto Baena López is a Colombian lawyer and politician, who serves, since 2020, as Vice Minister for Participation and Equality of Rights of the Ministry of the Interior of Colombia. He served as Senator of Colombia from 2010 to 2014. Baena is a co-founder of the Independent Movement of Absolute Renovation (MIRA) and has served two terms as Party Chairman. Before ascending to Congress, Baena served as Councillor of the Bogotá City Council from 2001 to 2009.
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María Susana Muhamad
- Years
- 1976-.. (age 48)
- Occupations
- politicianinternational forum participantenvironmentalist
- Biography
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María Susana Muhamad González is a Colombian political scientist, environmentalist and politician belonging to the Colombia Humana party. Since August 7, 2022, she has held the position of Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development of her country, in the government of Gustavo Petro.
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Catalina Botero Marino
- Occupations
- deanlawyerhuman rights activist
- Biography
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Catalina Botero Marino is a Colombian attorney who served as the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression for the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) from 2008 to 2014. From 2016 to 2020, she was the Dean of the Law School of the University of Los Andes (Colombia). Since 2020 she is one of four co-chairs of Facebook's Oversight Board, a body that adjudicates Facebook's content moderation decisions.
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Rudolf Hommes
- Occupations
- economistpolitician
- Biography
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Rudolf Hommes Rodríguez is a Colombian economist and politician who served as Minister of Finance and Public Credit under the administration of President César Gaviria, introducing various liberal policies in Colombia's Economy. He is also a regular columnist on various Colombian media outlets, focusing primarily on finances.
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Mariana Garcés Córdoba
- Born in
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Colombia - Occupations
- politicianlawyer
- Biography
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Mariana Garcés Córdoba is the 9th Minister of Culture of Colombia. A native of Santiago de Cali, she has been tied to the region and its culture, including working as General Manager of Telepacífico, Member of the National Television Commission, Director of the Association for the Promotion of the Arts, in Cali, Secretary of Culture and Tourism of Cali, Executive Director of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Valle del Cauca, and at different times, Director of the International Art Festival of Cali.
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Yaneth Giha Tovar
- Occupations
- economistpolitician
- Biography
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Yaneth Giha Tovar is an economist and politician who served as the Colombian Minister of Education from 2016 to 2018. Yaneth Giha has also held the position of Director of Colcienas and Deputy Minister of Defence. Yaneth obtained an economics degree from University of Los Andes, and a master's degree from King's College London.
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Frank Pearl González
- Occupations
- economistpolitician
- Biography
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Frank Joseph Pearl González is a Colombian economist. He served as the 1st Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development serving in the administration of President Juan Manuel Santos Calderón, and as the 1st High Presidential Advisor for the Social and Economic Reintegration of People and Groups Up in Arms during the administration of President Álvaro Uribe Vélez between 2006 and 2010 during which time he was also entrusted the office of High Commissioner for Peace in replacement of Luis Carlos Restrepo Ramírez, until his resignation from both posts in 2010.
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Sabas Pretelt de la Vega
- Occupations
- diplomatpoliticianeconomist
- Biography
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Sabas Pretelt de la Vega is a Colombian economist and businessman, who served as Colombian Minister of the Interior and Justice, and Ambassador to the Colombian missions in Italy, Greece, Cyprus, San Marino, and Malta. He was sentenced to six years and eight months in prison in April 2015 for corruption after the Yidispolítica scandal where Yidis Medina supposedly took a bribe from Pretelt. He was released in April 2018 under good behavior, in which he set up an education system for the soldiers in the naval base he was detained in.
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Isaac Lee
- Occupations
- international forum participantjournalist
- Biography
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Isaac Lee Possin is a Colombian journalist, entrepreneur and film & television producer. He is the founder and CEO, and the former executive chairman of EXILE Content Studio, a media company developing premium original content for audiences across the U.S. and Latin America. He previously served as Chief Content Officer for Univision Communications and Televisa, the world's largest Spanish-language media conglomerate. He founded StoryHouse Entertainment, a Los Angeles-based, scripted content development unit of Univision, which produces acclaimed scripted TV Series El Chapo (Netflix), as well as Outpost (HBO), Residente and Hate Rising docu-features.
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María Fernanda Campo
- Occupations
- politicianindustrial engineer
- Biography
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María Fernanda Campo Saavedra is the former minister of education of Colombia until August 2014. In 2011 she was appointed Acting Mayor of Bogotá by President Juan Manuel Santos in replacement of Samuel Moreno Rojas, who was stripped of his office following an investigation into the appropriation of city contracts. An industrial engineer, before her nomination she was the President of the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce from 2000 to 2010, the first woman to hold that position, and has also served as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs between 1998 and 1999.
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Gabriel Silva Luján
- Occupations
- diplomatpoliticianeconomist
- Biography
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Gabriel Silva Luján is a Colombian diplomat and political scientist who served as the 33rd and 27th Ambassador of Colombia to the United States. He has also served as Minister of National Defence and as General Manager of the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia.
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Efraín Cepeda
- Occupations
- economistpolitician
- Biography
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Efraín José Cepeda Sarabia is a Colombian businessman and politician. He is a member of the Conservative Party and has been elected to the Senate of Colombia eight consecutive times since 1994. He held the position of President of the Senate between 2017 and 2018.
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Cristián Samper
- Occupations
- biologist
- Biography
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Cristián Samper is a Colombian-American tropical biologist specializing in conservation biology and environmental policy. He is the Managing Director and Leader of Nature Solutions at the Bezos Earth Fund. He served as President and CEO of WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society) from 2012 to 2022. He was the Director of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History, the world's largest natural history collection, from 2003 to 2012, and served as acting Secretary of the Smithsonian from 2007 to 2008, the first Latin American to hold the position. In April 2015, Samper was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
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Ana María Rey
- Occupations
- academic administratorphysicist
- Biography
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Ana Maria Rey is a Colombian theoretical physicist, professor at University of Colorado at Boulder, a JILA fellow, a fellow at National Institute of Standards and Technology and a fellow of the American Physical Society. Rey was the first Hispanic woman to win the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in 2019. In 2023, she was elected to the National Academy of Sciences. She is currently the chair of DAMOP, the American Physical Society's division in Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics.
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Alexandra Olaya Castro
- Occupations
- theoretical physicistresearcheruniversity teacherscientist
- Biography
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Alexandra Olaya-Castro is a Colombian-born theoretical physicist, currently a Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at University College London. She is also the Vice-Dean for the Mathematical and Physical science Faculty.
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Juanita León
- Occupations
- journalist
- Biography
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Juanita León García is a Colombian journalist, writer, and public speaker. She is best known as the founder and director of the news website La Silla Vacía.
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Guillermo Botero Nieto
- Occupations
- trade unionistlawyer
- Biography
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Lorenzo Guillermo Botero Nieto is a Colombian lawyer, businessman, lecturer, and politician. He was appointed as Minister of Defense between 2018 and November 2019.
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J. G. Cobo Borda
- Occupations
- journalistpoetwriterdiplomat
- Biography
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Juan Gustavo Cobo Borda was a Colombian poet and literary critic. He was born in Bogota and studied literature at university. He worked extensively in cultural and literary fields, for example, as a founder and editor of various cultural journals including the poetry magazine Eco. He was also a diplomat. He served as cultural attaché in Buenos Aires in the 1980s, and in the same role in Madrid in the 1990s. His diplomatic career reached its peak when he was appointed ambassador to Greece.
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Jaime Bermúdez
- Occupations
- diplomatpoliticianlawyer
- Biography
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Jaime Bermúdez Merizalde is a Colombian lawyer and diplomat who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia from 2008 to 2010.
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Carolina Soto Losada
- Occupations
- economistpolitician
- Biography
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Carolina Soto Losada was the High Presidential Counsellor for Government, Private Sector and Competitiveness of Colombia. Before holding such post, She was Deputy Minister of Finance and Public Credit of Colombia. She is married to Alejandro Gaviria Uribe, the former Minister of Health and Social Protection of Colombia.
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Ricardo Lozano Picón
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Ricardo José Lozano Picón is a Colombian geologist and politician who was the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development from 2018 to 2020. He has also served as Director of the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies from 2008 to 2013.
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Mauricio Santa María Salamanca
- Occupations
- economistpolitician
- Biography
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Mauricio Santa María Salamanca is a Colombian economist and politician, who previously served as Director of the National Planning Department of Colombia. He served as the 3rd Minister of Social Protection during the Administration of President Juan Manuel Santos Calderón from 2010 until its restructuring amidst a wider Ministerial Reform when the Ministry was divided into separate Health and Labour ministries, being reappointed then as the 1st Minister of Health and Social Protection of Colombia until 2012 when he was reassigned. An economist from Georgetown University, Santa María has worked as a Consultant and Senior Economist for the World Bank, was Deputy Director of the National Planning Department, and prior to his appointment served as Adjunct Director of the Colombian Foundation of Higher Education and Development (Fedesarrollo).
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Melba Escobar
- Occupations
- writerjournalist
- Biography
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Melba Escobar de Nogales is a Colombian writer and journalist.
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Tomás González Estrada
- Occupations
- economistinternational forum participant
- Biography
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Tomás González Estrada is a Colombian economist. He was an Economic Counselor in the government of Andrés Pastrana Arango and the Minister of Mines and Energy in the second government of Juan Manuel Santos. On 7 March 2016, his resignation from the position was accepted due to the country's energy crisis by El Niño 2015-16 and the fire at Guatape power plant.
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Fanny Sanín
- Occupations
- painter
- Biography
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Fanny Sanín Sader is a Colombian born artist from Bogotá who resides in New York City. The daughter of Gabriel Sanín Tobón and Fanny Sader Guerra, she is best known for her paintings of abstract geometric forms and colors. She is considered to be part of the second generation of abstract artists from Colombia.
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Juan Gabriel Uribe Vegalara
- Occupations
- journalistpoliticianlawyer
- Biography
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Juan Gabriel Uribe Vegalara is a Colombian Conservative Party politician and journalist. He served as the 2nd Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development of Colombia from 2012 to 2013, and as Senator of Colombia from 1998 to 2002. An award-winning journalist, he was Editor-in-chief of El Nuevo Siglo before his appointment as Minister.
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Ana María Groot
- Occupations
- historianarchaeologistanthropologist
- Biography
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Ana María Groot de Mahecha is a Colombian historian, archaeologist, anthropologist and associate professor at the Department of Anthropology of the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Ana Mariá Groot speaks Spanish, English and French.
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Jorge Iván González
- Years
- 1959-.. (age 65)
- Occupations
- philosophereconomist
- Biography
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Jorge Iván González Borrero is a Colombian philosopher, economist and university professor. From August 2022 to February 2024 he served as Director of the National Planning Department, the third most important cabinet-level position in the National Government.
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Rafael Moure-Eraso
- Biography
-
Rafael Moure-Eraso is a former chairman and chief executive of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB).
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Helena Groot de Restrepo
- Enrolled in the University of the Andes, Colombia
- Studied in 1966-1970
- 1981-1984 graduated with Master of Science
- Occupations
- microbiologist
- Biography
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Helena Groot de Restrepo is a Colombian microbiologist and geneticist.
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Juan Pablo Plata Figueroa
- Occupations
- journalistnovelistliterary criticwriter
- Biography
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Juan Pablo Plata is a Colombian writer, journalist and researcher.
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Martha Rojas Urrego
- Occupations
- biologistecologist
- Biography
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Martha Rojas Urrego is a biologist, ecologist and humanitarian, gender and environmental advocate. She is a Colombian and French national. In August 2016 she was appointed as the Secretary General of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. Previously she was Head of Global Advocacy and Acting Deputy Secretary General at humanitarian organization CARE International.
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Marisol Aguilera
- Occupations
- professorbiologist
- Biography
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Marisol Aguilera Meneses is a Venezuelan biologist whose research involves the ecology of vertebrates. She is the president of the Venezuelan Association for the Advancement of Science (AsoVAC) and the International Organization Interciencia, which brings together associations for the advancement of science from all over the Americas.
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Rafael Francisco Amador Campos
- Occupations
- diplomatpoliticianlawyer
- Biography
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Rafael Francisco Amador Campos is a Colombian lawyer and politician currently serving as Ambassador of Colombia to Russia. A Liberal party politician, he served in Congress as Representative for Cundinamarca on two separate periods of two terms each, first from 1982 to 1990 and then from 1998 to 2006, and was twice elected Senator of Colombia for the same legislative period, first in 1990, and then again in 1991 following the ratification of the 1991 Constitution, and served until 1994.
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Nirma Zárate
- Occupations
- painter
- Biography
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Nirma Zárate Mejía was a Colombian artist, professor and researcher famously known for her abstract works. Zárate was born in Bogota, Colombia. She grew up in Colombia during World War II. The war had many implications on Colombian lifestyle and politics at the time. Colombia first supported the Axis powers and was in a constant state of shifting between its military powers and societal aspects due to U.S. intervention. Colombia finally shifted to supporting the allies after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. During this time, Colombia was in a severe state of poverty where impoverished children roamed the streets in high numbers and were called gamines. During this time, discrimination and violence from police towards impoverished children were extremely high. Zárate experimented with different mediums and styles such as Abstract Art or Pop Art. Her first exhibition was as a student in Bogota and shortly after, she moved to the United States where she lived for four years. She settled in Washington where she was chosen by Union Panamericana De Washington to participate in an exhibition of great Colombian art. Later in her career, Zárate was one of the co-directors of "Taller 4 Rojo", a collective of Colombian artists interested in representing the political and social reality of Colombia. Her art during this period in her life turned shifted to more politically active art. She also taught at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia for many years. Zárate died in her hometown of Bogotá, in 1999, at the age of sixty-three.
