Belisario Betancur Cuartas was a Colombian politician who served as the 26th President of Colombia from 1982 to 1986.
24 Facts About Belisario Betancur
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Belisario Betancur was a member of the Colombian Conservative Party.
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Belisario Betancur's presidency was noted for its attempted peace talks with several Colombian guerilla groups.
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Belisario Betancur was one of the few presidents to abstain from participating in politics after leaving office.
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Belisario Betancur's parents were Rosendo Betancur, a blue-collar worker, and Ana Otilia Cuartas, a businesswoman.
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Belisario Betancur traveled to the city of Medellin, where he enrolled in the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana.
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In 1955, Belisario Betancur graduated in jurisprudence and obtained a degree in law and economics.
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Belisario Betancur began his political career as a deputy in the Antioquia Departmental Assembly, where he served from 1945 to 1947.
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Belisario Betancur 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.
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Belisario Betancur was the Minister of Labor in 1963 and Ambassador to Spain from 1975 to 1977.
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Belisario Betancur ran for president as an independent Conservative candidate in the election of 1970, coming in third.
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Belisario Betancur again ran as the official Conservative candidate in the election of 1978, but was defeated by Julio Cesar Turbay Ayala.
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Belisario Betancur was finally elected President in 1982 and served until 1986.
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Belisario Betancur's administration began the exploration and export of coal in the Cerrejon North region and the broadcast of the regional television channels Teleantioquia and Telecaribe.
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Belisario Betancur was noted for his attempts to bring peace to his country.
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Belisario Betancur was President during the 1985 eruption of Nevado del Ruiz, which killed over 20,000 people.
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Belisario Betancur retired from politics after he left office in 1986.
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Belisario Betancur was an Honorary Member of the Club of Rome for Latin America, Chairman of the Truth Commission for El Salvador, and President of the Santillana for Latin America Foundation in Bogota.
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Belisario Betancur was a founding member of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.
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On 6 December 2018, Belisario Betancur was hospitalized in Bogota in a critical condition, suffering from a kidney infection.
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Belisario Betancur died the following day from the illness, aged 95.
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Belisario Betancur was buried at Jardines del Recuerdo Cemetery later that day following a mass at Gimnasio Moderno in Bogota.
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Belisario Betancur was the recipient of honorary doctorates from the University of Colorado and Georgetown University.
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Belisario Betancur received the Prince of Asturias Peace Award of Spain in 1983.