Book César Gaviria

César Gaviria is a Colombian economist and statesman who served as President of Colombia from 1990 to 1994 and then led the Organization of American States as Secretary General for a decade, from 1994 to 2004. His public career began remarkably early: elected to the city council of his hometown of Pereira at 23, he became its mayor four years later, entered the national Chamber of Representatives in 1974 and served as that body's president in 1984 and 1985. He was Colombia's Minister of Finance and Public Credit from 1986 and later became campaign manager to Luis Carlos Galán, stepping forward as his political successor and winning the Liberal nomination with 60 percent of the vote. As president he convened the Constituent Assembly that produced Colombia's Constitution of 1991, a landmark reshaping of the country's institutions, and he led his government's campaign against the drug cartels. He later served as National Director of the Liberal Party from 2005 to 2009. His honors include the Collar of the Order of Isabella the Catholic and a honorary doctorate from the University of Miami. Gaviria brings firsthand insight on democracy, reform and hemispheric diplomacy.