Ernesto Samper

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Samper and the second or maternal family name is Pizano.
His Excellency
Ernesto Samper
Samper in 2014
29th President of Colombia
In office
7 August 1994 (1994-08-07) – 7 August 1998 (1998-08-07)
Vice President
Preceded byCésar Gaviria
Succeeded byAndrés Pastrana
4th Secretary General of the Union of South American Nations
In office
1 August 2014 (2014-08-01) – 31 January 2017 (2017-01-31)
Preceded byAlí Rodríguez Araque
Succeeded byVacant
17th Secretary General of Non-Aligned Movement
In office
18 October 1995 (1995-10-18) – 7 August 1998 (1998-08-07)
Preceded bySuharto
Succeeded byAndrés Pastrana
Colombia Ambassador to Spain
In office
1991 (1991)–1993 (1993)
PresidentCésar Gaviria
Preceded byWilliam Jaramillo
Succeeded byMaría Emma Mejía
Minister of Economic Development
In office
7 August 1990 (1990-08-07) – 28 October 1991 (1991-10-28)
PresidentCésar Gaviria
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byJorge Ospina Sardi
Senator of Colombia
In office
20 July 1986 (1986-07-20) – 20 July 1990 (1990-07-20)
Personal details
Born (1950-08-03) 3 August 1950 (age 74)
Bogotá, Colombia
Political partyLiberal
Spouses
Silvia Arbeláez
​
​
(m. 1972; div. 1975)​
​
​
(m. 1979)​
Children
  • Andrés Samper Arbeláez
  • Felipe Samper Strouss
  • Miguel Samper Strouss
Alma mater
ProfessionEconomist

Ernesto Samper Pizano (born 3 August 1950)[1] is a Colombian politician. Samper is a member of the influential Samper family. He served as the President of Colombia from 1994 to 1998, representing the Liberal Party. From 2014 to 2017 he served as the Secretary General of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR).[2]

He was involved in the 8000 process scandal, which takes its name from the folio number assigned to it by the chief prosecutor's office. The prosecutor charged that money from the Cali Cartel was funneled into Samper's presidential campaign to gain his success in what would have been a very close race after he failed to win by a majority during the first round (Colombia has 2 rounds of elections, unless the first round yields a majority winner). The Colombian Chamber of Representatives acquitted Samper by a vote of 111 to 43, concluding the process.

  1. ^ Samper Pizano, Ernesto (1992). Apertura & modernización [Opening and Modernization] (in Spanish). OCLC 253941439.
  2. ^ "La unidad latinoamericana, en su hora más crítica" [Latin-American Unity, At Its Most Critical Hour]. France 24 (in Spanish). 14 December 2018. Retrieved 3 September 2021.