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Carlos Lleras Restrepo


For the President of Colombia from 1910 to 1914, see Carlos Eugenio Restrepo

Carlos Lleras Restrepo was an Colombian lawyer and political figure, President of Colombia (1964-1970).

Biographic data

Lleras was born inBogota, on April 12, 1908.Arismendi Posada, Ignacio; Gobernantes Colombianos; trans. Colombian Presidents; Interprint Editors Ltd., Italgraf, Segunda Edicion; Page 235; Bogota, Colombia; 1983 He was the third son of the prominent physician and researcher, Dr. Federico Lleras. He died in Bogota, on September 27, 1994.

Early life

Lleras studied in La Salle Institute in Bogota and later studied jurisprudence at Universidad Nacional de Colombia. He obtained his Law degree in 1930. He was also a member of Phi Iota Alpha.

Private life

Lleras was a cousin of Alberto Lleras Camargo, another important Colombian politician and President of Colombia. Married to Cecilia de la Fuente, Lleras was the father of Clemencia (d) - mother of Senator German Vargas Lleras-, Carlos - lawyer, journalist and former Ambassador of Colombia in the USA-, Maria Ines (d) and Fernando - poet, writer and musician.

Political career

Lleras became involved in politics at an early age. In 1929, he is elected by the liberal party as delegate to the National Convention of Apulo. By age 21he was a member in the national committee of the Colombian Liberal Party. Lleras is elected to the state senate of Cundinamarca, and later MP as congressman in the House of Representatives.Arismendi Posada, Ignacio; Gobernantes Colombianos; trans. Colombian Presidents; Interprint Editors Ltd., Italgraf, Segunda Edicion; Page 236; Bogota, Colombia; 1983

In 1932, during the so called Liberal Republic, Lleras is appointed General Comptroller of the country and in the late 30's he is appointed as Minister of Finance (Ministro de Hacienda) during the presidency of Eduardo Santos. He is elected as Chairman of the Liberal Party several times and Senator of the Republic.

Lleras runs for president of Colombia for the first time in 1944, but his bid is unsuccessful. Later, on November 27, 1965, he accepts the nomination of the liberal party, and receives the endorsement of the conservative party. This makes him the official candidate of the National Front Frente Nacional, and he wins the election in 1966.

After the presidency, Lleras founded and produced the political magazine Nueva Frontera.Arismendi Posada, Ignacio; Gobernantes Colombianos; trans. Colombian Presidents; Interprint Editors Ltd., Italgraf, Segunda Edicion; Page 239; Bogota, Colombia; 1983

The Presidency

Lleras is inaugurated as President of Colombia on August 7, 1966, and he calls his administration de era of national transformation (Transformacion Nacional).

During his administration, the Colombian Institute for Agrarian Reform (INCORA) promoted the redistribution of usable land to the peasants and unemployed workers in the country, issuing more than 60,000 titles in 1968 and 1969 alone.

Lleras implemented an aggressive and broad program of social and economic reforms and created the following agencies and institutions: the national savings fund (Fondo Nacional del Ahorro); the Colombian Institute for the family wellbeing (Instituto Colombiano de Bienestar Familiar); the institute to protect non renewable resources (Instituto de Recursos Naturales no Renovables); the agency to promote exports (Fondo de Promocion de Exportaciones PROEXPO); the national agency of Colombian culture (Instituto Colombiano de Cultura Colcultura); the nacional agency for the construction of schools (Instituto Colombiano de Construcciones Escolares Icce); and the national institution to promote and finance superior education (Instituto Colombiano para el Fomento de la Educacion Superior Icfes).Arismendi Posada, Ignacio; Gobernantes Colombianos; trans. Colombian Presidents; Interprint Editors Ltd., Italgraf, Segunda Edicion; Page 239; Bogota, Colombia; 1983

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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Carlos Lleras Restrepo


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