Colombia’s Supreme Court named Javier Zapata Ortiz as its new president Tuesday.
The native of Antioquia, who replaced Camilo Humberto Tarquino, is affiliated to the country’s Conservative.
Ortiz graduated from Medellin University as a lawyer with specialization in criminal law, criminology, and commercial law. He was a judge in Medellin’s criminal and circuit courts before becoming a member of the Supreme Tribunal of Antioquia in 1990.
Ortiz will take over high-profile cases including those of ex-senator Ivan Moreno and ex-representative German Olano, who both stand accused of corruption in the Bogota public works scandal.