Virgilio Barco Vargas facts for kids
Virgilio Barco Vargas (born September 17, 1921 – died May 20, 1997) was an important Colombian politician and a civil engineer. He served as the 27th President of Colombia from August 7, 1986, to August 7, 1990. He also held many other important jobs, like being the mayor of Bogotá and an ambassador to other countries.
Quick facts for kids
Virgilio Barco Vargas
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Barco in 1991
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| 27th President of Colombia | |
| In office 7 August 1986 – 7 August 1990 |
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| Preceded by | Belisario Betancur Cuartas |
| Succeeded by | César Gaviria |
| 20th Colombia Ambassador to the United Kingdom | |
| In office 9 November 1990 – 1992 |
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| President | César Gaviria |
| Preceded by | Fernando Cepeda Ulloa |
| Succeeded by | Luis Prieto Ocampo |
| 18th Colombia Ambassador to the United States | |
| In office 24 June 1977 – 11 December 1980 |
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| President | Alfonso López Michelsen |
| Preceded by | Julio César Turbay Ayala |
| Succeeded by | Jorge Mario Eastman Robledo |
| 6th Mayor of Bogotá | |
| In office 1966–1969 |
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| President | Carlos Lleras Restrepo |
| Preceded by | Jorge Gaitán Cortés |
| Succeeded by | Emilio Urrea Delgado |
| Minister of Agriculture | |
| In office 23 April 1963 – 6 October 1963 |
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| President | Guillermo León Valencia |
| Preceded by | Cornelio Reyes Reyes |
| Succeeded by | Gustavo Balcázar Monzón |
| Minister of Finance and Public Credit | |
| In office 7 August 1962 – 5 September 1962 |
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| President | Guillermo León Valencia |
| Preceded by | Jorge Mejía Palacio |
| Succeeded by | Carlos Sanz de Santamaría |
| 8th Colombia Ambassador to the United Kingdom | |
| In office 16 June 1961 – 1962 |
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| President | Alberto Lleras Camargo |
| Preceded by | Alfonso López Pumarejo |
| Succeeded by | Alfredo Araújo Grau |
| Minister of Public Works | |
| In office 7 August 1958 – 9 November 1960 |
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| President | Alberto Lleras Camargo |
| Preceded by | Roberto Salazar Gómez |
| Succeeded by | Misael Pastrana Borrero |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Virgilio Barco Vargas
17 September 1921 Cúcuta, North Santander, Colombia |
| Died | 20 May 1997 (aged 75) Bogotá, Colombia |
| Resting place | Central Cemetery of Bogotá |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Spouse |
Carolina Isakson Proctor
(m. 1950) |
| Children |
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| Alma mater |
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| Profession | Civil engineer |
| Website | Official website: https://virgiliobarco.com/ |
Contents
Early Life and Education
Virgilio Barco Vargas was born in Cúcuta, Colombia. His parents were Jorge Enrique Barco Maldonado and Julieta Vargas Durán. He studied to become a civil engineer at the National University of Colombia. He also studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and graduated in 1943.
In 1943, he started his political journey. He became a member of the city council for the Liberal Party in a town called Durania. Later, he was elected to the lower house of the Colombian Congress. In 1950, he moved to the United States for a while because of difficult times between political groups in Colombia. His daughter, Carolina Barco Isakson, who also became a politician, was born there. While in the US, he continued his studies. He earned a master's degree in economics from MIT in 1952. He even took classes with famous economists who later won the Nobel Prize. In 1954, he earned a PhD in economics from Boston University.
Virgilio Barco was the grandson of a Colombian General named Virgilio Barco M.. This general helped develop one of the biggest oil areas in Colombia back in 1905.
Political Career Highlights
Barco returned to Colombia in 1954. He helped with peace talks that led to something called the National Front. This was an agreement between the Liberal and Conservative parties that helped bring peace for two decades.
- In 1958, he became a member of the Senate, which is the upper house of the Colombian Congress.
- From 1961 to 1962, he served as Colombia's ambassador to Britain. An ambassador is a country's official representative in another country.
- He served another term in the Senate until 1966.
- From 1966 to 1969, he was elected mayor of Bogotá, the capital city of Colombia.
- After being mayor, he worked as a director for the World Bank from 1969 to 1974. The World Bank is an international organization that helps countries with their development.
- From 1977 to 1980, he was Colombia's ambassador to the United States.
Becoming President of Colombia
In 1986, Virgilio Barco was elected president of Colombia. He won with a large number of votes, getting 58% of them. As president, he worked to improve Colombia's economy. At first, his economic plans were very strict. But after two years, his government started the "Economic Openness program." This program aimed to open up Colombia's markets to the rest of the world. It helped to boost the country's economy. He served one four-year term as president.
Later Life and Passing
After his time as president ended in 1990, Virgilio Barco served as Colombia's ambassador to Britain again. He held this position until 1992.
Virgilio Barco was diagnosed with cancer. He passed away on May 20, 1997, in Bogotá, when he was 75 years old. He is buried in the Central Cemetery of Bogotá.
See also
