Alfredo Vázquez Carrizosa
Encyclopedia
Alfredo Vazquez Carrizosa (February 1909 - 19 December 2001) was a Colombia
n lawyer
, politician
and diplomat
, born in Chía
, Cundinamarca
. He was the foreign minister of Colombia from 1970 to 1974.
Carrizosa was the son of General Alfredo Vasquez Cobo, the Conservative Party
's candidate for President of the Republic in 1930. He did his secondary and higher education in Belgium
and graduated as a lawyer at the Catholic University of Leuven
. He was linked during the decade from 1930
to the International Labour Organization
, becoming the Colombian delegate during World War II
, when its offices were relocated to Canada
.
On his return to Colombia, he was elected to the House of Representatives for Cundinamarca, but steared clear of the Conservative Party's internal divisions. He was uninvolved, therefore, in the coup d'état of 1953
. From 1958, during the reign of the National Front
, Carrizosa continued his diplomatic career as Ambassador of Colombia to the United Kingdom
, Belgium
, the United Nations
and the Organization of American States
, until he attained the post of foreign minister in 1970.
After leaving the Foreign Ministry
, Carrizosa devoted himself entirely to the cause of human rights
, founding (and, from 1979, chairing) the Permanent Committee for the Defense of Human Rights. In 1991, he was elected to the Constituent Assembly of Colombia
, representing the leftist movement Patriotic Union
as its oldest constituent. He died in Bogotá on December 19, 2001. Noam Chomsky
counts himself as among his admirers.
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
, born in Chía
Chía, Cundinamarca
Chía is a town and municipality in the Cundinamarca department of Colombia, located to the north of Bogotá on the main road to Zipaquira. Its history dates back to the pre-Columbian era. The name comes from the Chibchan language and means "moon" or "month"....
, Cundinamarca
Cundinamarca Department
- Origin of the name :The name of Cundinamarca comes from Kundur marqa, an indigenous expression, probably derived from Quechua. Meaning "Condor's Nest", it was used in pre-Columbian times by the natives of the Magdalena Valley to refer to the nearby highlands....
. He was the foreign minister of Colombia from 1970 to 1974.
Carrizosa was the son of General Alfredo Vasquez Cobo, the Conservative Party
Colombian Conservative Party
The Colombian Conservative Party , is a conservative political party in Colombia. The party was unofficially founded by a group of Revolutionary Commoners during the Revolutionary War for Independence from the Spanish Monarchy and later formally established during the Greater Colombia...
's candidate for President of the Republic in 1930. He did his secondary and higher education in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and graduated as a lawyer at the Catholic University of Leuven
Catholic University of Leuven
The Catholic University of Leuven, or of Louvain, was the largest, oldest and most prominent university in Belgium. The university was founded in 1425 as the University of Leuven by John IV, Duke of Brabant and approved by a Papal bull by Pope Martin V.During France's occupation of Belgium in the...
. He was linked during the decade from 1930
1930s
File:1930s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: Dorothea Lange's photo of the homeless Florence Thompson show the effects of the Great Depression; Due to the economic collapse, the farms become dry and the Dust Bowl spreads through America; The Battle of Wuhan during the Second Sino-Japanese...
to the International Labour Organization
International Labour Organization
The International Labour Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that deals with labour issues pertaining to international labour standards. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. Its secretariat — the people who are employed by it throughout the world — is known as the...
, becoming the Colombian delegate during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, when its offices were relocated to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
On his return to Colombia, he was elected to the House of Representatives for Cundinamarca, but steared clear of the Conservative Party's internal divisions. He was uninvolved, therefore, in the coup d'état of 1953
Colombia Military Coup (1953)
The Colombia Military Coup was the coup followed by seizing of power, by Colombia's commander in chief Gustavo Rojas Pinilla in 1953. He ruled as dictator until 1957.-Sources:*...
. From 1958, during the reign of the National Front
National Front (Colombia)
National Front was a period in the history of Colombia in which the two main political parties; Liberal Party and Conservative Party agreed to let the opposite party govern, intercalating for a period of four presidential terms....
, Carrizosa continued his diplomatic career as Ambassador of Colombia to the United Kingdom
Ambassador of Colombia to the United Kingdom
The Ambassador of Colombia to the United Kingdom is the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Colombia to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, accredited as Concurrent Non-Resident Ambassador to Ireland....
, Belgium
Ambassador of Colombia to Belgium
The Colombian Ambassador to Belgium is the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Colombia to the Kingdom of Belgium, accredited as Concurrent Non-Resident Ambassador to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, and the European Union....
, the United Nations
Permanent Representative of Colombia to the United Nations
The Permanent Representative of Colombia to the United Nations is the Chief of Mission of the delegation of Colombia, and highest permanent representative of the Government of Colombia to the United Nations...
and the Organization of American States
Organization of American States
The Organization of American States is a regional international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States...
, until he attained the post of foreign minister in 1970.
After leaving the Foreign Ministry
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Colombia)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also known as the Chancellery, is the national executive ministry of the Government of Colombia responsible for the foreign relations of Colombia through its diplomatic missions abroad by formulating foreign policy relevant to the matters of the State, it is...
, Carrizosa devoted himself entirely to the cause of human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
, founding (and, from 1979, chairing) the Permanent Committee for the Defense of Human Rights. In 1991, he was elected to the Constituent Assembly of Colombia
Constituent Assembly of Colombia
The Constituent Assembly of Colombia was formed on February 5, 1991, to draft Colombia's 1991 constitution. It was dissolved in June 1991, after the new document was adopted nationwide.-Background:...
, representing the leftist movement Patriotic Union
Patriotic Union (Colombia)
The Patriotic Union or UP , was a leftist Colombian political party founded by the FARC and the Colombian Communist Party in 1985, as part of the peace negotiations that the guerrillas held with the Conservative Belisario Betancur administration...
as its oldest constituent. He died in Bogotá on December 19, 2001. Noam Chomsky
Noam Chomsky
Avram Noam Chomsky is an American linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, and activist. He is an Institute Professor and Professor in the Department of Linguistics & Philosophy at MIT, where he has worked for over 50 years. Chomsky has been described as the "father of modern linguistics" and...
counts himself as among his admirers.