Iván Duque

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Lore & Background

Duque was born in Bogotá to a wealthy political family originally from Gómez Plata, Antioquia. His father, Iván Duque Escobar (1937–2016), was a powerful local political leader who served as Governor of Antioquia, auditor in the United Nations, Minister of Mines and Energy, and head of the National Registry of Civil Status in the Government of Andrés Pastrana. Duque attended Colegio Rochester but obtained his high-school diploma from Colegio Winston-Salem in Bogota. He graduated in 2000 with a law degree from Sergio Arboleda University in Bogotá, and holds an LLM in International economic law from American University and a Masters in Public Policy Management from Georgetown University. He began his professional career in 1999 as a consultant in CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean and later served as an advisor at the Colombian Ministry of Finance and Public Credit during the government of Andrés Pastrana (1998–2002). Subsequently, he was appointed by Juan Manuel Santos as one of Colombia's representatives at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), a post he held between 2001 and 2013, where he served as chief of the Division of Culture, Solidarity, and Creativity. He also served as international advisor of former President Álvaro Uribe Vélez and, between 2010 and 2011, as a consultant at the United Nations in the Panel of Inquiry for the Gaza Flotilla incident. In the 2014 legislative elections, Duque was elected senator for the Democratic Centre Party, which split from the governing party after Juan Manuel Santos opened peace negotiations with the FARC. As senator, he authored four laws: Law 1822 of 4 January 2017 increasing maternity leave from 14 to 18 weeks; Law 1831 of 2 May 2017 for defibrillators in public facilities; Law 1809 of 29 September 2016 for educational insurance using advanced severance payments; and Law 1834 of 23 May 2017, the 'Orange Law' for creative industries. Duque won the 2018 presidential election in a runoff against Gustavo Petro, taking 54% of the vote to Petro's 42%. His presidency prioritized legality and entrepreneurship. He opposed the 2016 peace agreement with the FARC but did not cancel it, instead seeking to weaken the Special Jurisdiction for Peace and cutting the budget of the Truth Commission and the Unit for the Search for Disappeared Persons by 30%. His government faced the Venezuelan refugee crisis with an open door policy, allowing around 1.7 million refugees to gain protected status. The COVID-19 pandemic hit during his term, and his approval rating declined to as low as 30% in his last year. His term concluded on 7 August 2022, and he was succeeded by Gustavo Petro.

Reader's Guide

Iván Duque's presidency (2018–2022) was a period of significant tension and transition in Colombia. Elected on a platform opposing the historic peace agreement with the FARC, he ultimately chose not to dismantle it, instead attempting to modify key points such as weakening the Special Jurisdiction for Peace and cutting budgets for the Truth Commission and the Unit for the Search for Disappeared Persons by 30%. This approach reflected the deep political divide in Colombia over how to handle post-conflict justice. His open door policy toward Venezuelan refugees, granting protected status to around 1.7 million people, was a notable humanitarian stance during a regional crisis. However, his tenure was also marked by widespread social unrest: the 2019–2020 protests against corruption and income inequality, and the 2021 protests against a proposed tax measure. The COVID-19 pandemic initially boosted his approval through a daily television program called 'Prevention and Action,' which broadcast every day at 6pm, but the program's extension and the continuation of protests eroded public support. By May 2021, as protests continued and unemployment was out of control, the programme ended. Duque's legacy is thus mixed: a conservative leader who maintained a fragile peace, managed a refugee influx, but faced declining popularity and significant domestic opposition.

Did You Know?

• Duque was elected president despite having been relatively unknown a year before the election.
• He authored four laws as a senator, including one that increased maternity leave from 14 to 18 weeks.
• During his presidency, around 1.7 million Venezuelan refugees gained protected status in Colombia.
• His approval rating fell to as low as 30% in his last year in office.
• Duque's father, Iván Duque Escobar, served as Governor of Antioquia, Minister of Mines and Energy, and head of the National Registry of Civil Status.