Álvaro Gómez Hurtado

Álvaro Gómez Hurtado
15th Colombia Ambassador to France
In office
1991–1993
PresidentCésar Gaviria
Preceded byAlfonso López Caballero
Succeeded byMiguel Gómez Martínez
Colombia Ambassador to the United States
In office
March 9, 1983  December 17, 1985
PresidentBelisario Betancur
Preceded byJorge Salazar
Succeeded byRodrigo Lloreda
Colombia Ambassador to Italy
In office
1953–1953
PresidentRoberto Urdaneta
Senator of Colombia
In office
1951–1952
Member of the Chamber of Representatives
In office
1949–1951
ConstituencyCundinamarca
In office
1944–1946
ConstituencyCundinamarca
Colombia Ambassador to Switzerland
In office
1947–1948
PresidentMariano Ospina Pérez
Personal details
Born(1919-05-08)May 8, 1919
Bogotá, Colombia
DiedNovember 2, 1995(1995-11-02) (aged 76)
Bogotá, Colombia
Political partyConservative
SpouseMargarita Escobar López (1946-1995)
ChildrenMauricio Gómez Escobar
Mercedes Gómez Escobar
Álvaro José Gómez Escobar
Parent(s)Laureano Gómez (father)
María Hurtado Cajiao (mother)
Alma materPontifical Xavierian University
OccupationJournalist, politician
ProfessionLawyer

Álvaro Laureano Miguel Gómez Hurtado A.K.A. Álvaro Gómez Hurtado (May 8, 1919 – November 2, 1995) was a Colombian lawyer, politician, painter, writer, journalist and former active member of the Colombian Conservative Party. Gómez was founder of conservative dissidence known as Movimiento de Salvación Nacional (National Salvation Movement), and their first presidente since 1990 to 1995, when he was murdered.

Gómez was a son of the former President of Colombia, Laureano Gómez, who ruled that country from 1950 to 1951, until he was forced to resigned by army forces commanded by the general Gustavo Rojas Pinilla. Gómez was seen as successor of his father, and his father's political enemies became his adversaries.

He is mostly remembered for being one of the writers of the Colombian Constitution of 1991, for running three times for the presidency, without success (in 1974, 1986 and 1990), and for his murder at the hands of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. He served separate appointments as ambassador to Switzerland, Italy, the United States and France, beginning in the 1940s.

Gómez also was the founder of Universidad Sergio Arboleda, former director and journalist of their family journal's El Siglo and owner of Noticiero 24 Horas, one of the most important TV News in Colombia from 80s to 2000s. His hobbies encompassed painting, writing poems, and other activities non-related to politics.

Gómez is considered in Colombia as the most important notionalist of conservative in that country, and his thinking continue to inspiring new generations of young politician in Colombia. Also is frequently cited by politicians of both ideologies as a reference of peace and understanding.