Noemí Sanín facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Noemí Sanín Posada
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Sanín at the World Economic Forum in 2010.
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| 28th Colombia Ambassador to the United Kingdom | |
| In office 19 November 2007 – 23 July 2009 |
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| President | Álvaro Uribe |
| Preceded by | Carlos Eduardo Medellín |
| Succeeded by | Mauricio Rodríguez Múnera |
| 22nd Colombia Ambassador to the United Kingdom | |
| In office 17 October 1994 – 15 November 1995 |
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| President | Ernesto Samper |
| Preceded by | Luis Prieto Ocampo |
| Succeeded by | Carlos Lemos Simmonds |
| Colombia Ambassador to Spain | |
| In office 2002 – 19 November 2007 |
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| President | Álvaro Uribe |
| Preceded by | Álvaro Villegas Mejía |
| Succeeded by | Carlos Rodado Noriega |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 8 November 1991 – 7 August 1994 |
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| President | César Gaviria |
| Preceded by | Luis Fernando Jaramillo |
| Succeeded by | Rodrigo Pardo García-Peña |
| Colombian Ambassador to Venezuela | |
| In office 1990 – 8 November 1991 |
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| President | César Gaviria |
| Preceded by | Gustavo Vasco Muñoz |
| Succeeded by | Rodrigo Pardo García-Peña |
| Minister of Communications | |
| In office 1983 – 7 August 1986 |
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| President | Belisario Betancur Cuartas |
| Preceded by | Antonio Abello Roca |
| Succeeded by | Carlos Lemos Simmonds |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Marta Noemí del Espíritu Santo Sanín Posada
6 June 1949 Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia |
| Nationality | Colombian-Spanish |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Other political affiliations |
Yes Colombia |
| Spouses |
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| Domestic partners | Javier Aguirre (2002–present) |
| Children | María Jimena Durán Sanín |
| Alma mater |
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| Profession | Lawyer |
Noemí Sanín Posada (born 6 June 1949) is a well-known politician and diplomat from Colombia. She has held many important jobs in her country's government and represented Colombia in other nations. She was even a candidate for president of Colombia in 2010.
Noemí Sanín is a trained lawyer. She studied at Pontifical Xavierian University and later became a special fellow at Harvard University. Throughout her career, she has served as an ambassador to the United Kingdom, Spain, and Venezuela. She also worked as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Communications for Colombia.
She first ran for president as an independent candidate in 1998 and again in 2002. Later, in 2010, she ran as the candidate for the Conservative Party.
Contents
- Early Life and Education
- Key Roles in Government
- Presidential Campaigns
- Personal Life
- See also
Early Life and Education
Noemí Sanín was born on June 6, 1949, in Medellín, Colombia. She was one of fifteen children. Her father was a writer and journalist, and her mother was a teacher.
She studied law at the Pontifical Xavierian University in Bogotá. After that, she continued her studies in commercial law and finance. She worked in the financial sector, helping both government and private companies. In 1998, she moved to the United States and studied at Harvard University as a special fellow.
Key Roles in Government
Noemí Sanín has had a long and important career in public service. She started in the financial sector and then moved into various government roles.
Leading a Financial Corporation
In 1976, Sanín became the Vice President of Operations and Credit at a company called Corporación de Ahorro y Vivienda (Colmena). By 1979, at just 30 years old, she became the President of Colmena. She was the first woman in Latin America to lead a financial corporation. During her time there, she helped many people with lower incomes get loans. She also expanded the company's offices across Colombia and encouraged people to save money.
Minister of Communications (1983-1986)
From 1983 to 1986, Noemí Sanín served as the Minister of Communications under President Belisario Betancur Cuartas. She helped create a new law in 1985 that updated television and organized regional TV networks. This law also helped bring cable television to Colombia and improved other government-owned telecommunications companies.
A Difficult Decision in 1985
In November 1985, a difficult event happened in Colombia involving the Palace of Justice. As Minister of Communications, Sanín made the decision not to broadcast the events live on television or radio. Instead, regular programming continued. This decision was made during a very challenging time for the country.
Peace Talks with FARC
President Betancur also chose Sanín to be part of the first group to visit Casa Verde. This was the main office of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a guerrilla group. Her role was to help negotiate a peaceful solution to the conflict in Colombia.
Ambassador to Venezuela (1990-1991)
From 1990 to 1991, Sanín was Colombia's Ambassador to Venezuela. During her time as ambassador, trade between Colombia and Venezuela grew a lot, from about US$300 million to US$1350 million each year. This showed how much she helped improve economic ties between the two countries.
Minister of Foreign Affairs (1991-1994)
In 1991, President César Gaviria appointed Sanín as the Minister of Foreign Affairs. She was the first woman in Latin America to hold this important position. As minister, she made many improvements to the ministry's structure.
She also helped Colombia gain important positions on the world stage. Colombia won a seat on the UN Security Council and the presidency of the G-77, a group of developing countries. She also helped Colombia become the president of the Non-Aligned Movement. She signed a treaty with Jamaica to resolve border issues.
Ambassador to the United Kingdom (1994-1995)
In 1994, Sanín became Colombia's Ambassador to the United Kingdom. She encouraged British ministers to visit Colombia and helped create new airline routes between the two countries. She also helped bring British investments to Colombia in areas like mining, energy, and medicine. She left this role after about a year.
Ambassador to Spain (2003-2007)
From 2003 to 2007, Sanín served as Colombia's Ambassador to Spain. During this time, she worked to address issues faced by Colombians living in Spain, including concerns about discrimination and illegal immigration. She also promoted cultural exchanges between Colombia and Spain and supported programs for Colombians to get temporary work and training in Spain.
Ambassador to the United Kingdom (2007-2009)
In 2007, she returned to serve as Colombia's Ambassador to the United Kingdom. She held this position until 2009, when she resigned to focus on her political goals back in Colombia.
Presidential Campaigns
Noemí Sanín ran for president of Colombia multiple times, showing her dedication to leading her country.
Presidential Candidate in 1998
In the 1998 presidential elections, Sanín ran as an independent candidate with her political movement, Yes Colombia. Many people were surprised by how well she did. She received about 27% of the votes, finishing third. She won the most votes in big cities like Bogotá and Medellín.
Presidential Candidate in 2002
She ran for president again in 2002, still with her Yes Colombia movement. This time, national security was the main topic of the election. She received 5.8% of the votes.
Presidential Candidate in 2010
In 2010, she ran for president once more, this time as a member of the Conservative Party. She won the party's primary election, but she was not elected president in the general election.
Personal Life
Noemí Sanín was born into a large family, being the third of fifteen children. She married Diego Durán Cabal at age 19 and they had one daughter, María Jimena. After divorcing in 1975, she later married Mario Alberto Rubio Caicedo, a lawyer. That marriage ended in 1999. Since 2002, she has been with Javier Aguirre.
See also
In Spanish: Noemí Sanín para niños
