Colombia’s Congress on Monday held a moment of silence to remember the life and work of Carlos Gaviria, a renowned politician and former magistrate who died last week.
Gaviria, born May 8, 1937, held numerous positions of distinction over the course of his career in politics including Chief Magistrate of the Constitutional Court of Colombia, senator of the left-wing Democratic Pole (PDA) party, and president of PDA.
The senior politician was a consistent moral compass in a political environment defined by corruption and paramilitary association throughout his time in office, at one point going into exile in Argentina because of his resistance to paramilitary influences.
He was a vocal proponent of common social-democratic causes such as reducing the gap between the rich and poor, and introducing more governmental and state controls over the economy and society.
Gaviria was 77 at the time of his death.
