Gabriel Betancourt

Gabriel Betancourt Mejía
Minister of National Education
In office August 7, 1966 – September 2, 1968
President	Carlos Lleras Restrepo
Preceded by	Daniel Arango Jaramillo
Succeeded by	Octavio Arizmendi Posada
In office August 26, 1955 – September 19, 1956
President	Gustavo Rojas Pinilla
Preceded by	Aurelio Caicedo Ayerbe
Succeeded by	Josefina Valencia Muñoz
Personal details
Born	(1918-04-27)April 27, 1918 Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
Died	March 23, 2002(2002-03-23) (aged 83) Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
Spouse	Yolanda Pulecio Vélez (1959-1980)
Children	Astrid Betancourt Ingrid Betancourt
Occupation	Economist

Gabriel Betancourt Mejía (born April 27, 1918 in Medellín – died March 23, 2002 in Bogotá) was a Colombian economist and diplomat who served as Colombia's Minister of National Education in two occasions, and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO.

Early life

Gabriel Betancourt was born in Medellín on April 27, 1918 to Pedro Nolasco Adriano Betancur Toro and Mariana Mejía Arango as the youngest of 9 children.

Betancourt was a member of the government of president Gustavo Rojas Pinilla. He later became assistant director of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). He was also head of the education commission of the Alliance for Progress in Washington, D.C. under John F. Kennedy.

Personal life

Gabriel Betancourt was the father of the politician and former FARC hostage Íngrid Betancourt. Gabriel Betancourt divorced his wife Yolanda Pulecio in 1980 and was granted custody of his daughters. Gabriel Betancourt died of heart and respiratory trouble a month after Íngrid's kidnapping, without seeing his daughter again.