Securing 58 percent of the national vote in 1986, Virgilio Barco Vargas assumed the presidency of Colombia for a four-year term. His administration navigated a period of intense domestic volatility marked by drug-related violence and systemic economic challenges, while simultaneously attempting to integrate the nation into a broader global marketplace through the Economic Openness program.
Academic and Early Political Formation
Born in 1921 in Cúcuta, Barco studied civil engineering at the National University of Colombia before completing his studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1943. He began his political involvement as a Liberal Party council member in Durania. During the 1950s, he sought further education in the United States, earning an economics M.A. at MIT in 1952 and a PhD in economics from Boston University in 1954.
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Barco participated in the negotiations that established the National Front, a power-sharing arrangement between Colombia's Liberal and Conservative parties. His career included service as a senator starting in 1958, an ambassadorship to Britain in 1961, and a term as the mayor of Bogotá from 1966 to 1969. He subsequently acted as a director for the World Bank until 1974 and served as the ambassador of Colombia to the United States from 1977 to 1980.
Presidency and Economic Reform
Following his term as president from 1986 to 1990, Barco focused on anti-poverty initiatives and maintained dialogue with leftist guerrilla groups. His tenure saw significant pressure from drug trafficking organizations, which intensified violence in response to state interventions. To address initial economic stagnation, he implemented the Economic Openness program, which aimed to facilitate trade and stimulate growth by opening Colombian markets.
Final Years and Legacy
After leaving the presidency in 1990, Barco returned to his diplomatic roots by serving as the ambassador to Britain until 1992. His professional contributions earned him honors including the Grand Cross of the Order of the Sun of Peru and the Collar of the Order of Isabella the Catholic, both awarded in 1988, as well as the Grand Collar of the Order of Prince Henry. He died in 1997 at age 75 in Bogotá and is interred at the city's Central Cemetery.
Fast facts
- Born: 1921, Cúcuta
- Died: 1997, Bogotá
- Education: MIT, Boston University, National University of Colombia
- President of Colombia: 1986-1990
- Mayor of Bogotá: 1966-1969
- Minister of Finance and Public Credit: 1962
- Religion: Catholicism
- Languages: Spanish
Questions readers ask
What was the Economic Openness program?
It was an initiative introduced by the Barco administration to liberalize the Colombian economy and increase market access to international trade.
Where is Virgilio Barco Vargas buried?
He is buried at the Central Cemetery of Bogotá.
Achievements
- ambassador of Colombia to the United States
- President of Colombia (1986–1990)
- Mayor of Bogota (1966–1969)
- Minister of Finance and Public Credit (1962–1962)
- Collar of the Order of Isabella the Catholic — 1988
- Grand Collar of the Order of Prince Henry
- Grand Cross of the Order of the Sun of Peru — 1988
- Educated at National University of Colombia and Boston University
