Gustavo Bell

Infobox Vice President


name=Gustavo Bell
order= 8th
office = Vice President of Colombia
term_start=August 7, 1998
term_end=August 7, 2002
president=Andrés Pastrana
predecessor=Carlos Lemos
successor= Francisco Santos
order2= Minister of Defense
term_start2= 2001
term_end2= 2002
predecessor2= Luis Fernando Ramirez Acuña
successor2= Martha Lucía Ramírez
president2= Andrés Pastrana
order3= 53rd
office3 =Governor of Atlántico
term_start3= 1992
term_end3= 1994
predecessor3= Arnold Gómez Mendoza
successor3= Nelson Polo Hernández
birth_date=birth date and age|1957|02|01
birth_place=Barranquilla, Atlántico
party= Conservative
spouse=Maria Mercedes De La Espriella
alma_mater = Pontifical Xavierian University,
University of the Andes
occupation = Lawyer, Journalist
religion= Roman Catholic

Gustavo Adolfo Bell Lemus (born on February 1, 1957 in Barranquilla, Atlantico) is a Colombian historian, journalist, lawyer and politician. Bell served as Vice President of Colombia from August 7, 1998 to August 7, 2002 after being elected along President Andres Pastrana.

Biography

Education and Journalism

Bell was born in Barranquilla were he spent his childhood. He moved to the city of Bogotá to study Law at the Pontifical Xavierian University and the University of the Andes. He then moved to Spain where he studied at the Sevilla Latin American Academy. Between 1995 and 1997, attended graduate studies at the University of Oxford to obtain a Ph.D.

Bell was one of the founders of the Universidad del Norte in Barranquilla, university in which he also gave classes. Began his work as journalist in the newspaper El Heraldo in which he consolidated himself as one of the most influential journalist in northern Colombia.

Governor of the Atlantico

In 1991 Bell run for governor of the Atlantico Department as an independent candidate, he became the first elected governor by popular vote of this Department for the period between 1992-1994. (governors in Colombia were appointed by the President before the constitution of 1991)

Vice President of Colombia

After spending three years studying in England Bell returned to Colombia in 1997 and joined the presidential campaign of Andrés Pastrana. Pastrana offered him the Vice Presidency of Colombia, They were elected for the 1998-2002 presidential period.

Vice President Bell's was in charge of the Colombian Office for Human Rights issues between 1998 and 2001, year in which President Pastrana also appointed him the Ministry of National Defense. After finishing his term as Vice President Bell retired from politics.

Assassination attempt

While being a director of the El Heraldo newspaper Bell was victim of an assassination attempt but escaped. [http://www.mediosparalapaz.org/?idcategoria=2576]

Family

Bell is married to Maria Mercedes De La Espriella and has one daughter named María Alexandra. [http://www.elheraldo.com.co/revistas/miercoles/99-03-17/noti5.htm]

References

* [http://spanish.peopledaily.com.cn/spanish/200106/01/sp20010601_47325.html people daily - Gustavo Bell]
* [http://www.mediosparalapaz.org/?idcategoria=2576 medios para la paz - Atentado contra la vida de Gustavo Bell]
* [http://www.elheraldo.com.co/revistas/miercoles/99-03-17/noti5.htm El Heraldo - MARIA MERCEDES De La Espriella de Bell]