Juan Manuel Santos,
Frontrunner In Colombian Election
BOGOTA - Juan Manuel Santos, a former
defense minister, is the frontrunner in the
2010 Colombian presidential election slated
for Sunday.
A staunch ally of Alvaro Uribe, Colombia's
immensely popular outgoing president, Santos
is the presidential candidate of the ruling
Social National Unity Party.
During his campaign, Santos has pledged to
continue and improve Uribe's security- and
market-friendly policies.
He vows to make continuous efforts to
strengthen security, eradicate poverty and
fight drug trafficking and illegal armed
groups in the country.
He plans to boost foreign investment through
more trade agreements and diversifying
exports to Latin America, Europe and Asia.
Santos also promises to encourage the return
of 3.3 million Colombians displaced due to
armed conflicts to their places of origin,
and to make Colombia an internationally
renowned tourist destination.
Santos, 58, comes from a family of
influential politicians and journalists. His
great-uncle Eduardo Santos was Colombia's
president during 1938-1942 and the owner of
El Tiempo, the most influential newspaper in
the country.
He started his university education at the
University of Kansas in the United States,
where he studied economy and business
administration.
Later, Santos got a master's degree in the
same field at the London School of Economics
and at Harvard University.
Santos worked in the National Federation of
Coffee Growers of Colombia and was the
sub-director of El Tiempo until 1991, when
he launched his political career as
Colombia's minister of foreign trade and
then treasury minister.
He also founded the Social National Unity
Party.
In July 2006, Santos became Colombia's
minister of defense.
During his tenure, Santos dealt a harsh blow
to guerillas and paramilitaries in the
country. His efforts led to the capture of
"Simon Trinidad," one of the leaders of the
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC),
the death of "Raul Reyes," FARC's No.2
commander, and the rescue of former
presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt and
14 other hostages. |
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