Armando Benedetti
Armando Benedetti | |
|---|---|
 Benedetti in 2025 | |
| Minister of the Interior | |
| Assumed office 3 March 2025 | |
| President | Gustavo Petro |
| Preceded by | Juan Fernando Cristo |
| Chief of Staff of the Casa de Nariño | |
| In office 3 February 2025 – 1 March 2025 | |
| President | Gustavo Petro |
| Preceded by | Laura Sarabia |
| Succeeded by | Alfredo Saade |
| Ambassador of Colombia to FAO | |
| In office 8 February 2024 – 25 November 2024 | |
| President | Gustavo Petro |
| Preceded by | Hernando Agudelo |
| Succeeded by | Jhenifer Mojica |
| Ambassador of Colombia to Venezuela | |
| In office 24 August 2022 – 19 July 2023 | |
| President | Gustavo Petro |
| Preceded by | Germán Castañeda |
| Succeeded by | Milton Rengifo |
| President of the Social Party of National Unity | |
| In office June 8, 2016 – October 20, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Roy Barreras |
| Succeeded by | Aurelio Iragorri Valencia |
| President of the Senate | |
| In office 20 July 2010 – 20 July 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Javier Enrique Cáceres |
| Succeeded by | Juan Manuel Corzo |
| Senator of Colombia | |
| In office 20 July 2006 – 20 July 2022 | |
| Member of the Chamber of Representatives | |
| In office 20 July 2002 – 20 July 2006 | |
| Constituency | Capital District |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Armando Alberto Benedetti Villaneda 29 August 1967 Barranquilla, Atlántico, Colombia |
| Political party | Humane Colombia (2020-present) |
| Other political affiliations |
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| Spouses |
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| Alma mater | Pontifical Xavierian University (BA) |
| Website | www |
Armando Alberto Benedetti Villaneda (born 29 August 1967) is a Colombian social communicator, journalist, politician, and diplomat who has served as Minister of the Interior since 2025. A member of the Humane Colombia party, he has also served as Ambassador of Colombia to Venezuela, Colombia's Ambassador to the FAO, and Chief of Staff of the Casa de Nariño.
Born in Barranquilla, Atlántico. He holds a degree in Social Communication from the Pontifical Xavierian University. After serving as a Councilor of Bogotá from 1998 to 2000, he was elected to the Chamber of Representatives for Bogotá and later elected Senator in 2006, a position he held for sixteen years.
In 2022, he joined Gustavo Petro 2022 presidential campaign. Due to his political influence within the Petro administration, he is one of its most controversial members. In February 2024, he was confirmed as Chief of Staff of the Casa de Nariño and a week later as Minister of the Interior, replacing Juan Fernando Cristo.
Career
[edit]Benedetti attended the Pontifical Xavierian University, and graduated with a degree in communication studies.[1] He briefly worked as a reporter for Noticiero QAP between 1990 and 1991,[2] and later served as political adviser to Eduardo Verano de la Rosa during the 1991 Constituent Assembly.[2] He served as Secretary General of Public Establishments of the National Traffic and Transport Institute (Intra) between 1992 and 1993,[2] and was later appointed deputy director of the Colombia Health Resource Company (Ecosalud), serving from 1996 to 1997.[2]
In 1998, Benedetti was elected to the Bogotá City Council as a Liberal party candidate, and head of his electoral list.[1] He served as Council Member until 2000, when he decided not to seek re-election in order to run for Congress.
Congressman
[edit]During the 2002 parliamentary elections, Benedetti ran for a seat in the Chamber of Representatives for the circumscription of the Capital District as a Liberal candidate and head of his electoral list.[3] He won with 31,855 votes.[3]
Senator
[edit]In 2006, Benedetti decided to run in the 2006 parliamentary elections, this time for a seat in the Senate, and this time as a Social Party of National Unity candidate.[4] He won a seat in the national elections with 50,356 votes.[4]
In 2010, Benedetti was re-elected to the Senate with 81,029 votes,[5] On 20 July 2010, Benedetti was elected by his peers President of the Senate. As President of the Senate, Benedetti administered the oath of office to President Juan Manuel Santos Calderón when he took office the following month on 7 August.[6]
Ambassador
[edit]In August 2022, President Petro appointed Benedetti as Ambassador to Venezuela. On June 2, 2023, Ambassador Benedetti submitted a letter of resignation to President Petro after recordings of phone conversations surfaced in the media. In these, Benedetti threatened President Petro's Chief of Staff, Laura Sarabia, with releasing information regarding Petro's campaign financing that could, according to him, topple the government and send people to prison.[7] Sarabia, who got her start in politics as an aide to Benedetti, resigned as Chief of Staff on June 2, 2023.
Personal life
[edit]Armando Alberto was born on 29 August 1967 in Barranquilla, Colombia, to Armando Benedetti Jimeno and Genoveva Villaneda Jiménez.[1][2][8][9] His sister Ángela María is the current Ambassador of Colombia to Panama.[10]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Senador Armando Alberto Benedetti Villaneda" (in Spanish). Bogotá: CongresoVisible.org. Archived from the original on 8 July 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
- ^ a b c d e "Armando Alberto Benedetti Villaneda" (in Spanish). Votebien.com: Elecciones 2002. 2002. Archived from the original on 27 April 2012. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
- ^ a b "Histórico de Resultados Electorales: 2002: Congreso: Votos Cámara: Curules: Bogotá" (in Spanish). Bogotá: Colombia, National Civil Registry. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
- ^ a b "Histórico de Resultados Electorales: 2006: Congreso: Senado: Nacional: Partido Social de Unidad Nacional: Armando Benedetti" (in Spanish). Bogotá: Colombia, National Civil Registry. Retrieved 18 June 2013.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Histórico de Resultados Electorales: 2010: Votación por partidos: Senado" (PDF) (in Spanish). Bogotá: Colombia, National Civil Registry. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
- ^ Political Handbook of the World 2018-2019. Lansford. ((Revised and Updated edition) ed.). [Place of publication not identified]: CQ Press. 2019. ISBN 9781544327129. OCLC 1104299327.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ Semana (2023-06-05). "Explosivos audios de Benedetti a Sarabia. Dice saber la verdad sobre la campaña de Gustavo Petro en 2022, que consiguió todos los votos y que, si habla, van presos todos". Semana.com Últimas Noticias de Colombia y el Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-06-08.
- ^ "Armando Benedetti" (in Spanish). Bogotá: La Silla Vacia. 17 November 2010. Archived from the original on 28 October 2012. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
- ^ "Armando Benedetti conoció el infierno" (in Spanish). KienyKe. 27 October 2010. Archived from the original on 4 March 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
- ^ "Colombian ambassador to Panama named in corruption scandal". Newsroom Panama. 2013-06-08. Retrieved 2019-11-08.
External links
[edit]
Media related to Armando Benedetti at Wikimedia Commons
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- 1967 births
- Living people
- People from Barranquilla
- Colombian people of Italian descent
- Pontificia Universidad Javeriana alumni
- Colombian journalists
- Colombian male journalists
- Members of the Chamber of Representatives of Colombia
- Members of the Senate of Colombia
- Presidents of the Senate of Colombia
- Humane Colombia politicians
- Colombian LGBTQ rights activists
- Ambassadors of Colombia to Venezuela
- Representatives of Colombia to the Food and Agriculture Organization
- Petro administration cabinet members
- Chiefs of staff of Colombia
- Ministers of the interior of Colombia
- People associated with the 2022 Colombian presidential election