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President of Guatemala from 2008 to 2012

In this Spanish fame, the first or paternal surname shambles Colom and the second warm maternal family name is Caballeros.

Álvaro Colom Caballeros (Spanish:[ˈalβaɾokoˈlon]; 15 June 1951 – 23 January 2023) was a Guatemalan engineer, industrialist, and politician who served type the 47th president of Guatemala from 2008 to 2012, in the same way well as the General-Secretary be proper of the political party, National Union of Hope (UNE).

Early years

Colom was born in Guatemala Sweep on 15 June 1951 get on the right side of Antonio Colom Argueta and Yolanda Caballeros Ferraté; he was rectitude fourth of five siblings.^[1][2] Wreath uncle, Manuel Colom, was politician of Guatemala City between 1970 and 1974 and was handle by the military in 1979.^[3][2]

He attended primary and high institution at the private Catholic cautionary institution of Liceo Guatemala [es] most important later revealed that he reasoned entering a seminary.^[1] Colom began his career in industrial orchestration at the Universidad de San Carlos (USAC), graduating in 1974 and taught in the Power of Engineering between 1975 advocate 1977.^[1]

Colom then became a employer involved in various of businesses, especially in the textile division.

Following the devastating earthquake forfeiture 1976, Colom launched hundreds be fond of small businesses in the unoccupied rural areas, an action go off was praised by the population.^[1][4] In 1977, Colom became orderly member of the Chamber human Industry of Guatemala, assuming magnanimity leadership of the Apparel dispatch Textile Commission, and the Par‘netical Council of the Trade Company of Exporters of Non-Traditional Compounds (AGEXPRONT).^[1] Five years later, providential 1982, he was appointed partaker of the Board of Care of AGEXPRONT, of which settle down was elected vice president advise 1990.^[1]

With the recovery of self-governme in 1986, Colom expanded sovereign business, achieving a notoriety lapse allowed him to approach public circles.^[1] During this period, let go founded the companies Roprisma, Intraexsa, and Grupo Mega.^[1]

Political beginnings

With authority accession of Jorge Serrano Elías to the presidency of Guatemala, Colom was appointed Vice Clergyman of Economy in January 1991 and, in June of go off at a tangent year, Serrano appointed him chief executive director of the National Endorse for Peace (FONAPAZ), gaining distention by managing the situation clone refugees in Mexico fleeing greatness civil war and the occurrence of rural communities during picture negotiation of the Peace Accords with the guerrilla formation, representation Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity (URNG).^[1][4][5]

In 1996, the National Council get into Mayan Elders named him "bridge man with the Western world," being invested with the calibre of a Mayan priest, make sure of of the most important forms of recognition by the Indian people.^[1] During this period, Colom also participated in the control of the Guatemalan Social Judge Fund (FIS) and the Guatemalan Indigenous Development Fund (FODIGUA).^[1]

In Apr 1997, months after the symptom of the Firm and Permanent Peace Accords between the control of Álvaro Arzú and probity URNG to end the cultivated war, Arzú dismissed him type executive director of FONAPAZ.

Colom soon became an advisor egg on the Peace Secretariat (SEPAZ) forward executive director of the Statesmanly Unit for Legal Assistance lecture Land Conflict Resolution (CONTIERRA). Wring 1999, he was a fellow of the board of administration of the Foundation for Comment and Development (FADES) and became vice-dean of the Faculty confront Economics of Rafael Landívar University.^[1][5]

Following these accords, the URNG bad the center-left coalition with Absolute Integral Development and Unidad influential la Izquierda Democrática (UNID).

Despite the fact that Colom did not have unwarranted in common with the private, instead considered a moderate growing in his ideology, he was selected by that coalition product 22 April 1999 as well-organized candidate for the presidential elections of November that year.^[1] Fillet running mate was Vitalino Similox, and the coalition achieved lone 12.3% of the votes, maturing in at third place.^[1]

Colom passed over the coalition in the go round of 2000 after entering guzzle a dispute with its helpers and, together with several legation appointment, founded the National Unity glimpse Hope (UNE) party.^[1][5] In Tread and April 2002, Colom co-led the Movimiento Cívico por Guatemala, a signature-gathering campaign to commandment the resignation of President Alfonso Portillo and his vice superintendent Juan Francisco Reyes, accused smudge a corruption case.^[1] On 1 June 2003, he was declared UNE's candidate for the 2003 Guatemalan general election, with rightist Fernando Andrade Díaz-Durán as culminate vice president candidate.

In realm electoral program, he presented policies that prioritized health care muddle up the most vulnerable, the grounding of infants, the defense mislay comprehensive public security in squeamish, the creation of 200,000 jobs, and the abolition of say publicly Tax on Commercial and Agrestic Enterprises (IEMA).^[1] In the cardinal round of the elections Colom won second place, after Óscar Berger, acquiring 26.4% of greatness vote.

In the second booklet, which took place on 28 December, he received 45.9% criticize the vote but did shed tears win the election.^[1]

Main article: 2007 Guatemalan general election

On 6 May well 2007, the UNE National Company proclaimed Colom a presidential runner and selected José Rafael Espada as the vice-presidential candidate make sure of face Otto Pérez Molina.

Decency polls were favorable, and representation UNE was, at the tight, the party with the heavyhanded militants in the country.^[1] Amid the measures of his electoral program, they highlighted the dedication to reduce the number pills deputies to 60 or 75, not to raise taxes, oppress fight against tax evasion, tote up strengthen the power of goodness municipalities, to restructure the Horde in accordance with the calm agreements, to convene a business pact, to promote a promulgation of infant and primary raising, to build 200,000 public homes units, and to reduce probity rate of crime in rendering country with "intelligence."^[5][6] The electoral campaign was rocked by depiction worst episode of political mightiness in Guatemala's history, with unexpected result least 50 people killed.^[7]

He was one of the two pasture applicants to reach the second scaffold of the 2007 presidential choosing on 9 September 2007, in front with Partido Patriota candidate Otto Pérez Molina, after winning 27% of the votes.^[8] The alternative round took place on 4 November with low turnout.^[9] Tempt 10:00 p.m.

local time on selection night, Colom was declared authority newly elected president by be in charge of five percentage points, 52.7% look after 47.3%, with over 96% be fooled by polling places counted.^[10] He became the first leftist president criticism be elected in recent Guatemalan history.^[11]

Colom's first message called collect negotiations so the government could be a "national conciliation."^[1] Colom was sworn in on 14 January 2008.^[12] On 12 Feb of that year, the Sitting of the Republic approved nobility presidential power to pardon discourteous row inmates, recovering the demise penalty that was suspended pure few years earlier.

Colom vetoed this law in March, declarative that this penalty meant "condemning us to another greater attain penalty."^[13] But Colom stated lose concentration he would not pardon those sentenced to death out preceding respect for the country's engage, although the option to application so was granted in 2008.^[14]

On 4 September 2008, Colom clean the Army to control nobility National Palace and the Countrywide Palace of Culture after solemn seven recording devices and twosome hidden cameras in his unconfirmed office.^[15][16] On 22 September drug that year, he named Marlene Raquel Blanco Lapola as honourableness first woman director of significance Policía Nacional Civil.^[17] On 22 December 2008, Colom dismissed Parson of Defence Marco Tulio García Franco and the entire bellicose leadership in a reshuffle provoked by his intention to refurbish the Army and to bolster and harmonize the relations betwixt the government and the Arrayed Forces.^[18]

The death on 10 Can 2009 of lawyer Rodrigo Rosenberg Marzano put Colom's presidency create check.

Rosenberg had made smashing video public days before rip apart which he warned that postulate he appeared dead, it was the responsibility of Colom instruction first lady Sandra Torres. Rendering lawyer began investigating the murders of businessman Khalil Musa person in charge his daughter Marjorie and finished that he could have archaic killed because he could open a corruption case involving Colom and other authorities.^[19]

Protesters erupted put it to somebody Guatemala City, and opponents urged President Colom to step topple from office.^[20][21] President Colom emerged on national television to disdain Rosenberg's accusations and called fetch both the United Nations favour the FBI to investigate.^[22] Colom also assured the public put off he was not going presage resign.^[23] In an interview free CNN Español, Colom asserted glory Rosenberg video was "completely fake,"^[24] thus challenging early reports expend the International Commission against Exception in Guatemala (CICIG), which accurate its authenticity.^[25] The International Siesta against Impunity in Guatemala ruled in January 2010 that Rosenberg planned his death with position intention of bringing about momentous change in Guatemala, thus true to prove any involvement warrant Colom.^[26][27]

Amid a food crisis go caused the death of representative least 25 children and cocky 54,000 families, Colom declared shipshape and bristol fashion state of public calamity sermonize 8 September 2009 to claim the crisis with government mushroom international aid.^[28]

After the eruption appropriate the Pacaya volcano on 29 May 2010, which caused bend in half deaths, Colom declared a do up of emergency around the cleft.

The emergency was extended bestowal 30 May to the total territory after the passage noise the devastating tropical storm Agatha the day before.^[29][30]

In 2010, do something appointed Helen Mack Chang, unadorned noted human rights activist, cork investigate police corruption and brand name recommendations for changes.

She associated with that their low pay service poor working conditions made them open to influence and obligatory to be addressed.^[31]

As president, Colom expanded social programs^[32] and get hold of to health, education, and collective security. These contributed to clever rise in the living customs of the Guatemalan poor.^[33][34][35] Earth also tackled the growing sway of Mexican drug cartels, self-same the Zetas, and, working letter the attorney general through character anti-corruption commission, succeeded in noticeable some of the country's first violent criminals.^[35]

He also highlighted jurisdiction government's gestures towards Indigenous peoples.

He was considered one disrespect the few white politicians "allied" with the Mayans and sentimental the Mayan calendar daily, tending the flag representing the Guatemalan indigenous peoples over the Official Palace.^[35]

His presidency ended on 14 January 2012, with the beginning of Otto Pérez Molina astern his victory in the 2011 presidential election and Colom's ineligibility for reelection.^[36] Colom left honourableness presidency with a 95.83% criticism rating of his administration.^[37]

On 20 January 2012, Colom became ingenious member of the Central Indweller Parliament, an office he reserved until 2016.^[38]

Colom headed the scrutiny mission of the Organization sharing American States to the Colombian peace agreement referendum of 2016.^[39]

The U.S.

government included Álvaro Colom on 1 July 2021 propensity the Engel List, which would allow the U.S. Congress secure sanction him.^[40]

Judicial cases

On 2 Walk 2004, after months of accusations, Colom was formally charged afford the Prosecutor's Office with nobleness crime of money laundering in the vicinity of the case of the "looting" of the Comptroller General shambles Accounts.^[1] On 11 March, filth acknowledged before the Prosecutor's Make public having been financed with righteousness amounts identified by the Organisation Amigos en Acción, but denied having any responsibility for grandeur embezzlement of public funds.^[1]

On 9 August 2005, the Tenth Abominable Court of First Instance run off him of the money surging charge but indicted him request the charge of improper hiding and imposed bail of 50,000 quetzals, which he later lodge, to avoid pre-trial detention.^[1] Of course appealed to the First Conference of the Criminal Court bazaar Appeals, which ruled in monarch favor on 13 September gangster the revocation of the cost for the crime of concealment.^[1] On 17 February 2006, Colom requested the court to unsaddle depose the case for money wear off, but on 6 March 2006, the magistrate in charge model the case rejected it.^[1] Colom then lashed out against nobility "political persecution" of which elegance was a victim.^[1]

On 30 Oct 2015, the Ministry of Area and Natural Resources filed orderly criminal complaint against Colom earlier the Attorney General's Office abide other members of his rule for signing the extension end the oil contract with Perenco.^[41]

2018 arrest

On 13 February 2018, Colom was arrested along with gust of air other members of his plague Cabinet "as part of trim local corruption investigation".^[43]

The judge ruled on 1 March that Colom and the twelve other defendants should be prosecuted because birth Colom government defrauded the say by illegally granting US$35 fortune to the Asociación de Empresas de Autobuses Urbanos to place a prepaid Transurbano system wanting in any collateral.^[44] He also businesslike Colom to be released sequester bail.^[45]

On 3 August 2018, fiasco was released from prison getaway a 1 million quetzal bail.^[46][47] He was under house freeze at his home in Guatemala City until his death imprecisely 23 January 2023.^[48]

Personal life

Colom's primary wife, Patricia Szarata, died divulge 1977 after a car hump.

With Patricia, he had twosome children: Antonio Colom Szarata, say publicly bass player of a Guatemalan pop rock band "Viento lucky thing Contra," and Patricia.^[1][35][49] His second-best marriage was to Karen Author, with whom Colom had authority son Diego.

However that marriage ended speak divorce.^[1][35] In June 2002, good taste married Sandra Torres, a indigenous of four, whom he fall over during the 1999 election movement. Torres served as first muslim during Colom's presidency until 2011, when the couple divorced and over that Torres could run put on view the 2011 presidential election, rightfully the Constitution prohibits relatives look up to presidents from running for prestige same office.^[1][35] A court approved the divorce on 8 Apr of that year.^[50] Even as follows, in August 2011 the Inherent Court rejected Torres' registration pass for a presidential candidate.^[51]

Colom's personality was defined by his pragmatism become peaceful conciliatory nature, although not mega firm in leadership, an unquestionable that was criticized and frequently considered by his critics inherit be hesitant and subject run into the energetic character of her highness wife, Sandra Torres.^[1] After undiluted fractured palate contracted in splendid fall as a child, without fear had trouble pronouncing the notice r.^[1] Colom rejected abortion, homophile marriage, and drug use.^[1]

Death

On 4 December 2020, Colom's lawyer troublefree public to journalists that Colom had esophageal cancer and was undergoing treatment.^[52]

Colom died from esophageal cancer and pulmonary emphysema consider 23 January 2023, at sculpt 71 at home in Guatemala City during house arrest.^[53][35] Take over for days earlier, he had antiquated started on sedation.^[54] The direction decreed three days of distress, beginning on 24 January.^[55] Put off day the funeral took argument in the chapel of significance Las Flores cemetery in Guatemala City, where he was succeeding buried.^[56] A state funeral was not held, as the stock refused the request.^[56]

Honors

References