Diego Betancur Álvarez

Diego Betancur Álvarez
Colombia Ambassador to Australia
Incumbent
Assumed office
30 April 2008
President Álvaro Uribe Vélez
Preceded by Patricia Eugenia Cárdenas Santa María
Colombia Ambassador to New Zealand
Incumbent
Assumed office
17 February 2009
President Álvaro Uribe Vélez
Preceded by Patricia Eugenia Cárdenas Santa María
Personal details
Born 1949
Nationality Colombian
Other political
affiliations		 Revolutionary Independent Labour Movement
Spouse(s) María Emma Rubiano Rivadeneira
Relations Belisario Betancur Cuartas (father)
Profession Agronomist
Religion Roman Catholic
This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Betancur and the second or maternal family name is Álvarez.

Diego Betancur Álvarez (born 1949) is the current Ambassador of Colombia to Australia and New Zealand. He is also the son of former President of Colombia, Belisario Betancur Cuartas.

Political Positions

Diego Betancur was famous for being a member of the MOIR, a Maoist Left Wing party during the 1980s, even during his father's tenure as President of the Republic on behalf of the Conservative Party. Diego was a starch supporter of the rights of a legal, non armed left, to be allowed into the then de facto bipartisan system of Liberal and Conservatives. When the paramilitary from Magdalena Medio began their purge of left wing politicians, Diego Betancur was among the voices that warned against the mistake of how the military and the landowning elites were targeting lawful contradictors as military enemies.[1]

Ambassadorship

On 25 October 2007, the Government reopened the Embassy of Colombia in Canberra, which had been closed since 2002, to fulfil this office, the Government appointed Betancur as Ambassador of Colombia to Australia concurrently accredited as Non-Resident to New Zealand; previously, the Ambassador of Colombia to Japan, Patricia Eugenia Cárdenas Santa María, served as Non-Resident Ambassador to both Australia and New Zealand. On 14 March 2008 Betancur was sworn in by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Fernando Araújo Perdomo in a ceremony at the Palace of San Carlos in Bogotá.[2] Betancur started his mission with the re-aperture of the Embassy the following April, and presented his Letters of Credence to the Administrator of the Commonwealth of Australia, Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir, on 30 April 2008 in a ceremony of protocol at Government House, Canberra,[3] and to The Right Honourable Sir Anand Satyanand, Governor-General of New Zealand, on 17 February 2009 in a ceremony of protocol at Government House Vogel.[4]

Personal life

Born in 1949, he is the second child and only son of Belisario Betancur Cuartas and Rosa Elena Álvarez Yepes; his two other sisters are: Beatriz (1956) and María Clara (1960). He is married to María Emma Rubiano Rivadeneira.[5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Hijo de Betancur ataca al gobierno en sepelio de diputado asesinado" [Son of Betancur bashes the Government on assassined assemblyman's funeral] (in Spanish). Bogotá: EL Tiempo. 1983-05-18. Retrieved 2012-12-04. Hijo de Betancur ataca al gobierno en sepelio de diputado asesinado
  2. ↑ "Con apertura de Embajada en Australia, Colombia busca afianzarse en Asia y Oceanía" [With opening of Embassy in Australia, Colombia looks to clinch to Asia and Oceania] (in Spanish). Bogotá: Press Office of the President of Colombia (SP). 2008-03-14. Retrieved 2011-09-02. Ante el Canciller Fernando Araújo se posesionó Diego Betancur, como Embajador de Colombia en [Australia]
  3. ↑ "Governor-General's Program: 30 April 2008". Canberra: Office of the Governor-General of Australia. 2008-04-30. Retrieved 2011-09-02. Afterwards, the Administrator received from His Excellency Mr Diego Alvarez Betancur, Letters of Credence accrediting him as the Ambassador of the Republic of Columbia. The Ambassador was accompanied by Mr Carlos Ferero (Second Secretary), Embassy of Columbia. The Administrator also received Mrs Maria Emma Rubiano.
  4. ↑ "Envoys from Cyprus, European Commission and Colombia present credentials". Wellington: Website of the Governor-General of New Zealand. 2008-02-17. Retrieved 2011-09-02. The High Commissioner for the Republic of Cyprus and Ambassadors of the European Commission (EU) and Republic of Colombia will be the first envoys to present credentials to Governor-General Anand Satyanand at Government House Vogel in Lower Hutt.
  5. ↑ "Yearbook" (PDF) (4th ed.). Vatican City: Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences. p. 14. ISBN 978-88-86726-26-9. Wife and children: Rosa Helena Alvarez (†); Beatriz (1956), Diego (1958), Maria Clara (1960). Married to Dalita Navarro |chapter= ignored (help)