Julio César Turbay Ayala facts for kids
Julio César Turbay Ayala (born June 18, 1916 – died September 13, 2005) was a Colombian lawyer and politician. He served as the 25th President of Colombia from 1978 to 1982. He also worked as the Foreign Minister and an Ambassador to the United States.
Quick facts for kids
Julio César Turbay Ayala
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Turbay during a visit to the Hôtel de Ville, Paris, 1979
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| 25th President of Colombia | |
| In office 7 August 1978 – 7 August 1982 |
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| Preceded by | Alfonso López Michelsen |
| Succeeded by | Belisario Betancur |
| Colombian Ambassador to Italy | |
| In office 1991–1993 |
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| President | César Gaviria Trujillo |
| Preceded by | Oscar Mejía Vallejo |
| Succeeded by | Plinio Apuleyo Mendoza |
| Colombian Ambassador to the Holy See | |
| In office 1987–1989 |
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| President | Virgilio Barco Vargas |
| Succeeded by | Fernando Hinestrosa Forero |
| Colombian Ambassador to the United States | |
| In office 29 April 1975 – 1976 |
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| President | Alfonso López Michelsen |
| Preceded by | Douglas Botero Boshel |
| Succeeded by | Virgilio Barco Vargas |
| 12th Colombian Ambassador to the United Kingdom | |
| In office 6 January 1973 – 15 January 1975 |
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| President | Misael Pastrana Borrero |
| Preceded by | Camilo de Brigard Silva |
| Succeeded by | Alfredo Vásquez Carrizosa |
| 11th Permanent Representative of Colombia to the United Nations | |
| In office 1967–1969 |
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| President | Carlos Lleras Restrepo |
| Preceded by | Alfonso Patiño Rosselli |
| Succeeded by | Joaquín Vallejo Arbeláez |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia | |
| In office 7 August 1958 – 1 September 1961 |
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| President | Alberto Lleras Camargo |
| Preceded by | Carlos Sanz de Santamaría |
| Succeeded by | José Joaquín Caicedo Castilla |
| 24th Minister of Mines and Petroleum of Colombia | |
| In office 11 May 1957 – 7 August 1958 |
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| President | Gabriel París Gordillo |
| Preceded by | Francisco Puyana |
| Succeeded by | Jorge Ospina Delgado |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Julio César Turbay Ayala
18 June 1916 Bogotá, D.C., Colombia |
| Died | 13 September 2005 (aged 89) Bogotá, D.C., Colombia |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Spouses | |
| Children |
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| Occupation | Lawyer |
Contents
Early Life and Education
Julio César Turbay Ayala was born in Bogotá, Colombia, on June 18, 1916. His father, Antonio Amín Turbay, was a businessman from Lebanon. His mother, Rosaura Ayala, was from Cundinamarca.
Turbay's father lost his wealth during a civil war called the Thousand Days War. Julio César finished his high school studies in Bogotá. He never went to college, but he learned a lot by himself. This means he was an autodidact. His political opponents sometimes criticized him for this. Later in his life, he received several honorary degrees from universities.
Political Journey
Turbay began his political career in the Colombian Liberal Party in 1936. He started as a councilman in the town of Usme. Later, he became the mayor of Girardot in 1937. In 1938, he was a councilman in Engativá.
For several years, he was a member of the Assembly of Cundinamarca. In 1943, he was elected to Congress as a Chamber Representative. He was a strong voice against conservative governments. In 1953, he became a leader in the Liberal Party.
When a military government took over after a dictator, Turbay was appointed Minister of Mines and Petroleum. Later, President Alberto Lleras Camargo made him Minister of Foreign Affairs until 1961. He strongly supported the National Front, a political agreement. He was elected senator four times in a row from 1962 to 1974. He also briefly served as interim president in 1967.
Turbay also worked as an ambassador for Colombia. He was an ambassador to the United Nations (1967-1969), the United Kingdom (1973-1974), and the United States (1975-1976). He first tried to become president in 1974 but supported López Michelsen instead. With strong support, Turbay won the presidential election in 1978 by a very close margin.
Presidency (1978-1982)
As president, Julio César Turbay Ayala faced many challenges.
The Security Statute of 1978
During his time as president, there was more activity from guerrilla groups like the 19th of April Movement (M-19) and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). To deal with this, Turbay's government introduced a rule called the Security Statute in 1978.
This rule gave the military more power to arrest and question people suspected of being guerrillas or helping them. These suspects could be judged by military courts. Many people, including human rights groups and journalists, were concerned about this. They said there were more arrests and unfair treatment.
Even though the Security Statute helped capture some guerrilla leaders, it became very unpopular. Many people in Colombia and other countries felt sympathy for those who were treated unfairly. Because of this, the Security Statute was gradually stopped towards the end of Turbay's presidency.
International Relationships
In terms of foreign policy, Colombia became a close ally of the United States during Turbay's presidency. He worked with both President Jimmy Carter and later President Ronald Reagan. Turbay's policies aligned with Reagan's conservative views. This sometimes caused disagreements with other countries in Latin America.
Turbay also supported the United Kingdom during the Falklands War. This decision made Colombia stand out from other Latin American nations. His administration also ended diplomatic relations with Cuba.
The Dominican Embassy Hostage Crisis (1980)
In late 1980, the M-19 guerrilla group took over the Dominican Republic's embassy in Bogotá. They held sixteen ambassadors hostage for 61 days. This was a very difficult situation for Turbay's government.
The incident became a major news story worldwide. Ambassadors from the United States, Mexico, Peru, Israel, Venezuela, and the representative to the Holy See were among the hostages.
Despite pressure from some military and political groups to use force, President Turbay chose a peaceful approach. He eventually agreed to let the M-19 rebels travel to Cuba. The rebels also reportedly received money, though much less than they first demanded.
Many people, including historians and former M-19 members, have praised Turbay's handling of this crisis. They see the peaceful resolution as a positive achievement of his presidency.
After the Presidency
After his presidency, Turbay remained active in politics. He supported President Álvaro Uribe. At first, he was against the idea of a president being re-elected in Colombia. However, he later changed his mind and helped start a movement to support Uribe's re-election in 2006.
Efforts for Prisoner Exchange
Turbay also worked to help free hostages held by the FARC guerrilla group. He met with families of FARC hostages and signed statements of support. Other former presidents, like Alfonso López Michelsen, also joined him in these efforts.
In 2005, Turbay suggested a plan for the government to exchange jailed guerrillas for hostages. He proposed that for every jailed guerrilla, ten "economic" hostages (held for money) and one "political" hostage (held to pressure the government) could be released.
Personal Life
Julio César Turbay married his niece, Nydia Quintero Turbay, in 1948. They had four children: Julio César, Diana, Claudia, and María Victoria. Later, he married Amparo Canal in 1986, and they remained married until his death. He is related to Paola Turbay.
In January 1991, his daughter, Diana Turbay, who was a journalist, was kidnapped. She sadly died during a police rescue attempt. Her kidnapping is written about in the book News of a Kidnapping by Nobel Prize winner Gabriel García Márquez.
Turbay was known for wearing bow ties, which was very unusual in Colombia.
Death
Julio César Turbay Ayala passed away on September 13, 2005, at the age of 89. He received a state funeral led by President Álvaro Uribe. He was buried in Bogotá. In 2003, he visited Lebanon with his family, which was his father's homeland.
See also
In Spanish: Julio César Turbay para niños
