Belisario Betancur

Belisario Betancur Cuartas (February 4, 1923, Amagá, Department of Antioquia) is a Colombian statesman, the President of Colombia from 1982 to 1986. Betancur 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 f... more

Belisario Betancur Cuartas (February 4, 1923, Amagá, Department of Antioquia) is a Colombian statesman, the President of Colombia from 1982 to 1986. Betancur 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. In 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... less