Julio César Turbay Ayala

Julio César Turbay Ayala (June 18, 1916 – September 13, 2005) was president of Colombia from 1978 to 1982, as a member (and later leader) of the Colombian Liberal Party.

Political career as former president

Turbay was a supporter of president Álvaro Uribe. He initially opposed the possibility of presidential reelection in Colombia, but he later changed his views, contributing to founding a movement known as Patria Nueva ("New Homeland") in order to help promote Uribe's 2006 reelection aspirations.

Related Topics:
Álvaro Uribe - 2006

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Support for a prisoner exchange with the FARC

Turbay was seen as at odds with some of Uribe's policies, however, in particular due to his activism in favor of the implementation and negotiation of a prisoner exchange with the FARC guerrilla group. As part of this effort, Turbay participated in several meetings with the relatives of FARC hostages and signed several declarations of support, together with other former presidents such as Alfonso López Michelsen and Ernesto Samper Pizano.

Related Topics:
FARC - Alfonso López Michelsen - Ernesto Samper Pizano

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On August 31 2005, Turbay proposed that the government could exchange each jailed guerrilla for ten "economic" hostages (those held for extortion purposes) and one "political" hostage (those held by the FARC in order to pressure the government to release its jailed members).

Related Topics:
August 31 - 2005

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