Misael Pastrana Borrero

Misael Pastrana Borrero
23rd President of Colombia
In office 7 August 1970 – 7 August 1974
Preceded by	Carlos Lleras Restrepo
Succeeded by	Alfonso López Michelsen
16th Colombia Ambassador to United States
In office 17 January 1969 – 3 February 1970
President	Carlos Lleras Restrepo
Preceded by	Hernan Echavarría Olózaga
Succeeded by	Douglas Botero Boshel
Minister of Government of Colombia
In office 7 August 1966 – 6 November 1968
President	Carlos Lleras Restrepo
Preceded by	Pedro Gómez Valderrama
Succeeded by	Carlos Augusto Noriega
38th Minister of Finance and Public Credit of Colombia
In office 1 September 1961 – 16 November 1961
President	Alberto Lleras Camargo
Preceded by	Hernando Agudelo Villa
Succeeded by	Jorge Mejía Palacio
53rd Minister of Public Works of Colombia
In office 9 November 1960 – 1 September 1961
President	Alberto Lleras Camargo
Preceded by	Virgilio Barco Vargas
Succeeded by	Carlos Obando Velasco
12th Minister of Foment of Colombia
In office 5 May 1960 – 9 November 1960
President	Alberto Lleras Camargo
Preceded by	Rodrigo Llorente Martínez
Succeeded by	Rafael Unda Ferrero
Personal details
Born	Misael Eduardo Pastrana Borrero 14 November 1923 Neiva, Huila, Colombia
Died	21 August 1997 (aged 73) Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
Nationality	Colombian
Political party	Conservative
Spouse(s)	María Cristina Arango Vega (1951–1997)
Children	Juan Carlos Pastrana Arango Andrés Pastrana Arango Jaime Pastrana Arango María Cristina Pastrana Arango
Alma mater	Pontifical Xavierian University (JD, 1945)
Profession	Lawyer
Religion	Roman Catholic

Misael Eduardo Pastrana Borrero (14 November 1923 – 21 August 1997) was the 23rd President of Colombia from 1970 to 1974.

Biographic data

Pastrana was born in Neiva, Huila.^[1] He died in Bogotá, on August 21, 1997.

Personal life

Pastrana was a conservative politician Colombia, President of Colombia in the period 1970-1974. Born in the home of Misael Pastrana Pastrana and Elisa Borrero Perdomo, studied Law in Javeriana University of Bogotá and in the Ferri Institute of Rome. He had been affiliated to the Conservative Party (which he would later rename as the Social Conservative Party). He was the private secretary of the President Mariano Ospina Pérez (1949-1952)and three times a minister during the second liberal presidency of Alberto Lleras Camargo (1958-1962).

During the Presidency of Carlos Lleras Restrepo, he was Minister of Government 1966-1968, led in Congress a constitutional reform and was Colombian ambassador in Washington from 1968-1969, when he returned to campaign for the Presidency. President of the Sasakawa United Nations Environment Prize in recognition of his enacting of the world's first Environmental Code for Natural Resources, after his death the UN instituted the yearly Pastrana Borrero Conference in New York during the prize's award ceremony. Vice-president of Worldwide Prize for Peace of UNESCO. Founder of World Center of Computer Science with Jean-Jacques Serban-Schreiber in the seventies, before the personal computer existed. The Center brought in young minds such as Nicholas Negroponte. Founder member of Interaction, group of former heads of state and government to deal with contemporary issues and conflicts and to present recommendations to governments.

Presidency

During his four years in office, Pastrana was cautiously progressive. He sought to increase employment opportunities with a famous four-point strategy. He attempted to boost national savings as a way of moving away from dependency on foreign investment and credit, and he extended pensions rights for many people.^[2]

At the same time, he was a champion of "a car for every Colombian family", and was instrumental in bringing the French car-makers Renault to Colombia. He also promoted the first national environmental legislation in Latin America.^[2]

The end of his four year-term in office came in 1974, which also saw the end of the National Front governments. Pastrana then took on the mantle of the "natural leader" of the Conservative party. He proved unable to hold the different factions of the party together, however, and in consequence there has only been two Conservative presidents since his own term in office.^[2]

He died in Bogotá at the age of 73.^[2] Married to María Cristina Arango Vega, with whom he had three sons and one daughter. His second son, Andrés Pastrana Arango eventually became president of Colombia 1998 to 2002.

References

1. Arismendi Posada, Ignacio; Gobernantes Colombianos; trans. Colombian Presidents; Interprint Editors Ltd., Italgraf, Segunda Edición; Page 241; Bogotá, Colombia; 1983
2. Nick Caistor (August 26, 1997). "Obituary: Misael Pastrana". The Independent.