Álvaro Gómez Hurtado

Álvaro Gómez Hurtado
15th Colombia Ambassador to France
In office
1991–1993
President César Gaviria
Preceded by Alfonso López Caballero
Succeeded by Miguel Gómez Martínez
Colombia Ambassador to United States
In office
March 9, 1983 – December 17, 1985
President Belisario Betancur Cuartas
Preceded by Jorge Salazar
Succeeded by Rodrigo Hernán Lloreda Caicedo
Colombia Ambassador to Italy
In office
1953–1953
President Roberto Urdaneta Arbeláez
Senator of Colombia
In office
1951–1952
Constituency Cundinamarca
Member of the Colombian Chamber of Representatives
In office
1949–1951
In office
1944–1946
Colombia Ambassador to Switzerland
In office
1947–1948
President Mariano Ospina Pérez
Personal details
Born (1919-05-08)May 8, 1919
Bogotá, DC, Colombia
Died November 2, 1995(1995-11-02) (aged 76)
Bogotá, DC, Colombia
Nationality Colombian
Political party Conservative
Spouse(s) Margarita Escobar López (1946-1995)
Relations Laureano Gómez (father)
Children Mauricio Gómez Escobar
Mercedes Gómez Escobar
Álvaro José Gómez Escobar
Alma mater Pontifical Xavierian University
Occupation Journalist, politician
Profession Lawyer
Religion Roman Catholic
This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Gómez Escobar and the second or maternal family name is Hurtado.

Álvaro Gómez Hurtado (May 8, 1919 - November 2, 1995) was a Colombian lawyer, politician, journalist and active member of the Colombian Conservative Party. Gómez was a son of the former President of Colombia, Laureano Gómez. He is mostly remembered for being one of the writers of the Colombian Constitution of 1991 and for running three times for the presidency, but without success. He served separate appointments as ambassador to Italy, the United States and France, beginning in the 1980s.

Early years

Álvaro Gómez was born as the second of four children to Laureano Gómez, a newspaper publisher who later became president of Colombia. His mother was María Hurtado Cajiao. His siblings are Cecilia, Rafael and Enrique. The family grew up in La Candelaria, a traditional neighborhood of Bogotá. The children attended private schools in Brussels, Belgium and Buenos Aires, Argentina while their father served as a diplomat. After his family's return to Bogotá, Gómez went to the Colegio de San Bartolomé, a preparatory school, graduating in 1936.

He studied law at the Pontifical Xavierian University and graduated as a lawyer in 1941. His thesis was entitled Influencias del Estoicismo en el Derecho Romano ("The Influence of Stoicism in Roman Law").

Journalism

He began writing for the newspaper El Siglo, which was owned by his father. He later founded a weekly business magazine called Síntesis Económica (Economic Synthesis) and created and produced a television news show called Noticiero 24 Horas ("24 Hours News").

Political career

Gómez Hurtado's first political office was as elected councilman for the city of Bogotá. He next ran for the Chamber of Representatives of Colombia and was elected for a four-year term. After finishing his term, he was elected to the Senate.

Gómez was appointed as a "plenipotentiary minister" several times. He was also appointed as Ambassador to the United Nations, Switzerland,[1] Italy, the United States and France.

Presidential candidacies

Gómez founded the National Salvation Movement. He ran (unsuccessfully) as its candidate for president three times: in 1974 against Alfonso López Michelsen, in 1986 against Virgilio Barco and in 1990 against César Gaviria.

President of the Constituent Assembly

He was elected to the Constituent Assembly, which created the new Colombian Constitution of 1991. He was elected as co-president of the Constituent Assembly along with Horacio Serpa and Antonio Navarro. After the Constitution had been written and ratified, Gómez left politics and focused on journalism and academia.

Kidnapping

In 1988, Gómez was kidnapped by the M-19 guerrillas, then led by Antonio Navarro. Navarro released him after the intervention of Álvaro Leyva.[2]

Death

Álvaro Gómez was murdered by gunmen on November 2, 1995 in Bogotá while leaving the Sergio Arboleda University, where he was a Visiting Professor.

Published work

Marriage and family

Álvaro Gómez was married to Margarita Escobar López and had three children: Mauricio, Mercedes and Álvaro José.

Notes

  1. ↑ Perry, Oliverio; Brugés Carmona, Antonio (1970). Quién es quién en Colombia (in Spanish). Bogotá: Editorial Kelly. p. 168. OCLC 1644305. Retrieved May 21, 2009.
  2. ↑ (Spanish) loscolombisnos.com - Alvaro Gomez Hurtado

References

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