Alfonso Gómez Méndez

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Gómez and the second or maternal family name is Méndez.
Alfonso Gómez Méndez
Gómez campaigning in 2009.
Minister of Justice and Law
In office
13 September 2013 – 11 August 2014
PresidentJuan Manuel Santos
Preceded byRuth Stella Correa Palacio
Succeeded byYesid Reyes
3rd Attorney General of Colombia
In office
3 July 1997 – 3 July 2001
Nominated byErnesto Samper
Preceded byAlfonso Valdivieso Sarmiento
Succeeded byLuis Camilo Osorio Isaza
Colombia Ambassador to Austria
In office
1991–1993
PresidentCésar Gaviria Trujillo
Preceded byMario Laserna Pinzón
Succeeded byCarlos Lemos Simmonds
Inspector General of Colombia
In office
9 March 1989 – 23 November 1990
Nominated byVirgilio Barco Vargas
Preceded byHoracio Serpa Uribe
Succeeded byCarlos Gustavo Arrieta Padilla
Member of the Colombian
Chamber of Representatives
from Tolima
In office
20 July 1986 – 9 March 1989
Personal details
Born (1949-08-16) 16 August 1949 (age 75)
Chaparral, Tolima, Colombia
Political partyLiberal
SpousePatricia Lara Salive (1989—present)
Children
  • Alfonso Gómez Lugo
  • Rosa Gómez Lugo
  • María Gómez Lara
  • Federico Gómez Lara
Alma mater
ProfessionLawyer

Alfonso Gómez Méndez (born 19 August 1949) served as the 9th Minister of Justice and Law of Colombia.

Gómez was born on 19 August 1949 in Chaparral, Tolima.[1] He attended Universidad Externado de Colombia where he graduated in Law in 1971.[2]

On 9 March 1989, the Senate of Colombia elected Gómez to succeed Horacio Serpa Uribe as Inspector General of Colombia. Gómez, who at the time was serving as Chamber Representative, was nominated by President Virgilio Barco Vargas. On 23 November 1990 Gómez resigned citing political pressure; the Deputy Inspector, the Assistant Inspector, the Secretary General, and 23 Delegate Inspectors, all presented their resignation in solidarity with the Inspector General. The backlash from the Senate and others in military and right-wing political circles against Gómez and his department, stemmed from the ruling of the Office of the Inspector General against Army General Jesús Armando Arias Cabrales and Army Colonel Edilberto Sánchez Rubiano for their role during the 1985 Palace of Justice siege.[3][4]

In January 1991, following his resignation as Inspector General, President César Gaviria Trujillo appointed Gómez Ambassador of Colombia to Austria.[5] While in Vienna, Gómez also served as Permanent Representative of Colombia to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

In 1996 Gómez was elected to the International Narcotics Control Board for a five-year term.[6] Shortly after, on 29 May 1997 the Supreme Court of Justice of Colombia elected Gómez to serve as the 3rd Attorney General of Colombia to succeed Alfonso Valdivieso Sarmiento. Gómez was elected out of a ternary slate presented by President Ernesto Samper Pizano that also included the names of Saturia Esguerra Portocarrero and Manuel Santiago Urueta Ayola.[7][8] In 1998, Board President Hamid Ghodse asked Gómez to step down citing concerns of a possible conflict of interest;[9] Gómez refused this request, but ultimately resigned citing his "extremely tight work schedule".[10]

Selected works

  • Gómez Méndez, Alfonso (1998). Delitos Contra la Vida Y la Integridad Personal (in Spanish). Bogotá: Universidad Externado de Colombia. ISBN 9789586163361. OCLC 41871531.

References

  1. ^ "Ministro de Justicia y el Derecho" (in Spanish). Bogotá: Colombia, Office of the President. 5 September 2013. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  2. ^ "Egresado y docente de nuestra Casa de Estudios estará al frente de la cartera de Justicia" (in Spanish). Bogotá: Universidad Externado de Colombia. Archived from the original on 2013-09-08. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  3. ^ "Como Respaldo Al Procurador Alfonso Gómez Mñendez Renuncia Masiva en la Procuraduría". El Tiempo (in Spanish). Bogotá. 24 November 1990. ISSN 0121-9987. OCLC 28894254. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  4. ^ Gutkin, Steven (22 November 1990). "Attorney General Resigns, Criticizes Colombian President". Bogotá. AP News. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  5. ^ "Gómez M., Embajador en Austria". El Tiempo (in Spanish). Bogotá. 19 January 1991. ISSN 0121-9987. OCLC 28894254. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  6. ^ Ghodse, Hamid (2008). International Drug Control Into the 21st Century. Aldershot, HAM: Ashgate. p. viii. ISBN 9780754672159. OCLC 191758426. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  7. ^ "Gómez Méndez, Fiscal Hasta el Siglo XX". El Tiempo (in Spanish). Bogotá. 30 May 1997. ISSN 0121-9987. OCLC 28894254. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  8. ^ "Alfonso Gómez Méndez" (in Spanish). Elección Visible. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  9. ^ Reid, Robert H (6 May 1998). "UN Questions Colombian Board Member". AP News. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  10. ^ Winfield, Nicole (10 June 1998). "U.N. Drug Board Member Resigns". AP News. Retrieved 8 September 2013.