Female Ministers of the Republic of Colombia/ La República de Colombia (Female Suffrage 1954) Under Spanish Rule till 1819 when the Colombian Republic was established, consisting of what is today Panama, Ecuador and Venezuela, the latter became independent 1829-30. The Republic of New Grenada was established 1821, renamed Colombia 1866. Panama became independent 1903

See also Colombia Parliament

1954-55 Secretary of  Social Assistance of the Presidency María Eugenia Rojas Correa de Moreno-Díaz
1974 Presidential Candidate
Appointed by her father, the dictator General Gustavo Rojas Pinilla. She was MP 1962-64, senator 1966-74, and for 16 years member of the Municipal Council of Bogotá. Rojas de Moreno-Díaz has been President of Alianza Nacional Popular (ANAPO) since 1975 and has also been director of a number of private and public institutions. (b. 1932-).

1956-57 Minister of Education Josefina Valencia de Hubach
Governor of the Province of Cauca 1954-56, Ambassador to UNESCO 1957-58. She married the Chilean geologist Enrique Hubach Eggers in 1943 and had two children. She lived (1913-91).

1961-62 Minister of Communication Esmeralda Arboleda Cadavid de Uribe
First female Senator in 1958, Ambassador to Austria and Yugoslavia 1967-69 and Alternate Permanent Representative to the United Nations 1969. First married to Samuel Uribe Hoyos and secondly to Francesco Cuevas Cancino, the Mexican Ambassador to the United Nations in 1969 and became known as Esmeralda Arboleda de Cuevas after that. Mother of one son. (b. 1921-).

1965-66 and 1966-67 Acting Minister of Communication Nelly Turbay de Muños
She was Secretary General of the Ministry.

1970-72 Vice-Minister of Education Irene Jara de Solorzano

1974-76 Minister of Labour and Social Security Dra. María Elena Jimenéz de Crovo
Deputy President of the Senate 1970-74, Ambassador to Mexico 1976-79? .

1974-76 Vice-Minister Communication Sara Ordóñez de Londoño
1976-77 Minister of Communication

1974-76 Vice-Minister of Education Doris Eder de Zambrano
1984-85 Minister of Education
Governor of Valle del Cauca 1982-84.

1977 Acting Minister of Mines and Energy Ines Gonzalez de Amaya
She was Secretary General of the Ministry and acted from August till October

1978-82 Cabinet Member and Presidential Secretary Diana Turbay Quintero

1978-82 Vice-Minister of Communciation Elizabeth de la Rosa

circa 1978-85 Vice-Minister of Education Maria Eugenia Correa Olarte de Serrano

1982 Minister of Labour and Social Security Maria Estela Sanín de Aldana

1982-85 Vice-Minister of External Relations Laura Ochoa de Ardila
Ambassador to Germany before 1982 and to Guatemala after 1985.

1982-83 Vice-Minister of Development Amparo Lucía Vega Montoya
Governor in Fenalco Risaralda 1980-81

1982-84 Vice-Minister of Education Clara Victoria Colbert de Arboleda

1982-84 Vice-Minister of Housing and Public Works Maria Mercedes Cuéllar de Martinez
1984-85 Vice-Minister of Finance and Credit
Circa 1985 Minister of Finance and Credit
1989-90 Minister of Economic Development
In 1988 she became Director of National Planning. And in 1999 she was candidate in the liberal party’s primary in the Presidential elections.

1982-89 Vice-Minister of Mines and Energy Margarita Mana de Queveda
1989-90 Minister of Mines and Energy
Former Secretary of Education and Vice-President of the Council of Antioqia.

1982-85 Vice-Minister of Public Works and Transport Margarita Durán Ariza

1982-85 Vice-Minister of Agriculture Dra. Cecilia López de Montaño
1994-96 Minister of Environment
1996-97 Minister of Agriculture
1996 Delegate for Women’s Affairs
Also former Ambassador to the Netherlands, perhaps under the name of López de Rodriguez. 2002 she was candidate for the post of Presidential Candidate in the Liberal Primary.

1982-85 Vice-Minister of Health Beatriz de la Vega

1982 Vice-Minister of Health and Minister at the Ministry of Health
1989 Minister of Social Security
1996-98 Minister of Health Dra. Maria Teresa Forero de Saade
(b. 1939-).

1983-86 Minister of Communication Nohemi Sanín Posada de Rubio
1991-94 Minister of External Relations
1998 and 2002 Presidential Candidate
Ambassador to Venezuela 1990-91 and 1994-98 and 2007-09 to United Kingdom and to Spain 2003-07, Presidential Candidate 1998, 2002 and 2010. (b. 1949-).

1983-84 Vice-Minister of Housing Florangela Gomez Ordoñez
Between 1982-93 Economic Advisor of the President, 1988 President of  Banco Popular.

1985-86 Minister of Education Dra. Lillián Suárez Melo

1986-90 Minister of Education Dra. Marina Uribe de Eusse

1989 Minister of Justice Monica de Greiff

1989-90 Minister of Public Works and Transport Ing. Luz Pricilla Coeballos Ordóñez

1989-90 Minister of Economic Development Manualda Ramirez Carlos de Arturo

1989-91 Minister of Agriculture Maria del Rosario Sintes Ulloa
2000-02 Minister of Communication

1989-90, 2001-03 and 2009-10Vice-Minister of External Relations Clemencia Forero Ucrós
Former Ambassador to United Nations in Geneva and Sweden. (b. 1948-).

1991-98 Vice-Minister of External Trade Marta Lucía Ramírez de Rincón
1998-2001 Minister of External Trade  
2002-03 Minister of Defence
Ambassador to France 2001-02 and Presidential Candidate in 2014.

1993-94 Minister of Education Maruja Pachón de Villamizar

Circa 1993-96 Vice-Minister of External Relations Vilma Safra

1994-95 Minister of Labour Dra. Maria Sol Navia Vasco de Calderón

1995-96 Minister of Education María Emma Mejía Vélez de Caballero
1996-98 Minister of External Relations
1998 Minister with presidential functions (Acting President)
Former Presidential Advisor, Ambassador to Spain 1993-95, Vice-Presidential Candidate 1998, Candidate for Mayor of Bogota in 2000, 2003 and 2007, Secretary General of Unasur 2011-12 and Ambassador to the UN 2015. (b. 1953-).

Around 1995 Vice-Minister of Justice Mrs. Márquez Gallego

1996-97 Minister of Education Olga Duque de Ospina
Former Senator, before 1996 Governor of Huila. Perhaps Presidential Candidate in a Party Primary in 2002. (b. circa 1935-).

1996-99 Vice-Minister of External Relations Michelle Bussières

Around 1996 Vice-Minister of Transport Maria Bernardoni de Govea

1997-98 Minister of Justice Almabeatriz Rengiso López

1998-2000 Minister of Communications Claudia De Francisco de Pardo

1998-99 Minister of Culture Elena Bravo

Until 1998 Vice-Minister of Education Carmen Espinosa de Díaz

1998 Vice-Minister of External Relations María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar
2010- Minister of External Relations
Chief of Cabinet, Secretary General of the Ministry of External Affairs, 1996-97, Ambassador to Venezuela 2002-04 and Ambassador to the United Nations 2004-06. She was offered the post of Ambassador to France in 2006 but refused.

1998-2002 Vice-Minister of External Relations María Fernanda Campo Saavedra
2010-14 Minister of Education
President of Bogota Camber of Commerce 1999-2010. Acting Mayor of Bogota in 2011.

1998-2002 Vice-Minister of Energy and Mines Maria Mercedes Prado Daza

1998-2002 Vice-Minister of Energy and Mines Luisa Fernanda Lafaurie Rivera 
2002 Minister of Energy and Mines

1998-2000 Vice-Minister of Culture María Cristina Serje de la Ossa

1998-circa 99 Presidential Councillor of Equality Nohra Puyana de Pastrana
She is married to President Pastrana.

1999-2000 Minister of Labour Gina Magnolia Riaño Barón

Circa 1999-2000 Presidential Councellor of Women’s Equality Elsa GLadys Cifuentes A.
Governor of Risalralda since 2000.

1999-? Vice-Minister of Tourism Maria Paulina Espinosa de López

Around 1999 Vice-Minister of Labour N.N.

2000 Minister of Health Inéz Gómez de Vargas

2000 Minister of Health Sara Ordóñez
2001-02 Minister of Health

2000-01 Minister of Culture Consuelo Araújo Noguera
A well known promoter of Colombian culture, she resigned when her husband was appointed Attorney-General. In September 2001 she was kidnapped and killed by leftwing guerrillas and killed when police tied to free her. Har niece, María Consuelo Araújo Castro, became Minister of Culture in 2002. She lived (1939-2001).

Until 2000 Vice-Minister of Planning and Development Marianela Fafuente
2000-02 Minister of Science and Technology

2000-02 Vice-Minister of Culture Katya Margarita Gonzáles Rosales

Circa 2000-02 Vice-Minister of External Commerce Angela María Orozco

2000-02 Secretary in the Presidency for Juridical Affairs Patricia Murcia Páez

2001-02 Minister of Culture Aracely Morales López
Three times acting Governor of Cartagena.

2001-02 Minister of Communication Angela Montoya Holguin

2001-02 Vice-Minister of Culture Martha Mercedes Castrillón Simonds  

2002-06 Minister of External Relations Carolina Barco Isackson
Until 2002 Director of Planning of the City Administration of Bogotá. Ambassador to USA from 2006. She is daughter of the late President Virgilio Barco Vargas. (b. 1951-).

2002-07 Minister of Communication Martha Elena Pinto de De Hart

2002-03 Minister of Environment, Housing and Territorial Development Cecilia Rodríguez González-Rubio
Co-founder of the Green Party, the Partido Verde Oígeno, and senator in succession to the Presidential candidate, Ingrid Betancourt, who was been abducted and has disappeared.

2002-10 Minister of Education Cecilia Maria Vélez White
Until 2002 Secretary of Education in the Administration of Bogotá.

2002-06 Minister of Culture María Consuelo Araújo Castro
2006-07 Minister of External Relations
She worked in the Ministry of Agriculture and held other posts. She resigned after her brother, Senator Alvaro Araujo was arrested on suspicion of ties with paramilitaries involved in the country's drug trade. Her father was previously Minister of Agriculture. (b. 1971-).

2002-03 Vice-Minister of Social Protection Luz Stella Argango de Buitrago
2003 Acting Minister of Social Protection
2004-08 Vice-Minister of Labour Relations
She was appointed after the Minister of resort, Juan Luis Londoño, was killed in a plane crash.

2002-04 Vice-Minister of External Relations Clemencia Forero Ucros

2002-04 Vice-Minister of Justice María Margarita Zuleta

2002-04 Vice-Minister of Education Olga Lucía Turbay Marulanda

2002-10 Vice-Minister of Communications María Paula Duque Samper

2002-05 Vice-Minister of Culture Adriana Mejía Hernández
Circa 2007-10Vice-Minister of External Relations

2002-04 Vice-Minister of Environment, Housing and Territorial Development Claudia Martinez Zuleta

2002-04 Vice-Minister of External Trade Claudia María Uribe Pineda

2003-04 Technical Vice-Minister of Finance and Public Credits Catalina Crane Arango

2003-08 Minister of Environment, Housing and Territorial Development Sandra Suárez Pérez
Head of the High Council of  Plan Colombia 2002-03. (b. 1970-).

2004-09 Vice-Minister of Education Juana Inés Díaz Tafur

2004-10 Vice-Minister of Finance and Public Credits Gloria Inés Cortés Arango

2004-08 Vice-Minister of Finance and Public Credits Maria Inés Agudelo Valencia

2005-06 Vice-Minister of Culture Elvira Cuervo de Jaramillo
2006-07 Minister of Culture

2006-10 Minister of Communication Maria del Rosario Guerra de La Espriella

2006-10 Private Secretary of the President Alicia Arango

2006-08 Vice-Minister of Culture María Cecilia Donado García

2006-09 Director of National Planning Carolina Renteria

2007-10 Minister Councillor of the Presidency Cecilia Álvarez-Correa Glen

2007-10 Minister of Culture Paula Marcela Moreno Zapata

First female black Minister in history of Colombia. (b. 1978-).

2008-10 Vice-Minister of Interior Viviana Manrique Zuluaga

2008-10 Vice-Minister of Environment Claudia Patricia Mora Pineda

2008-10 Vice-Minister of Environment Leyla Rojas Molano

2008-10 Vice-Minister of Environment Isabel Segovia Ospina

2008-10 Vice-Minister of Culture Martha Elena Bedova

2010-11 Minister of Social Protection Beatriz Londoño Soto

2010- Minister of Culture Mariana Garcés Córdoba

2010 Minister of Environment Sandra Bessudo Lion

2010-11 Minister of Environment, Housing and Territorial Development Beatriz Uribe Botero
2011-12 Minister of Housing, Cities and Territorial Development

Circa 2010- Vice-Minister of Interior Sandra Devia Ruiz

Circa 2010- Vice-Minister of Interior Carmen Ines Vasquez

Circa 2010- Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Patti Londoño Jaramillo

Circa 2010- Vice-Minister of Finance and Public Credits Ximena Cadena Ordoñez

Circa 2010- Vice-Minister of Transport María Constanza García

Circa 2010- Vice-Minister of Cultire María Claudia López

Circa 2010-15 Vice-Minister of Education Roxana de los Ángeles Segovia

Circa 2010-15 Vice-Minister of Education Patricia Martínez Barrios

2012 Minister of Health and Social Protection Beatriz Londoño Soto

2012-14 Minister of Transport Cecilia Álvarez-Correa Glen
2014- Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism
Former Advisor of the High Councillor, Economic Councillor and Minister Councillor at the Presidency. The partner of Minister of Education Gina Parody

2012-13 Minister of Justice Ruth Stella Correa Palacio
2013-14 Minister of Environment Luz Helena Sarmiento

2014- Minister of Education Gina María Parody d'Echeona
Former Member of the House of Representatives and a senator. The partner of Minister of Commerce Gloria Álvarez Correa

2014-16 Minister of Transport Natalia Abello Vives

2015-16 Minister of the Presidency María Lorena Gutiérrez Botero
2016 Minister of Energy and Mines
High Councillor at the Presidency for Good Government and Effiecient Administration 2012-15

2015- Vice-Minister of Education Natalia Ariza Ramirez

2016- Minister of Labour Clara Eugenia López Obregón
Clara López was Chief Mayor of Bogotá 2011 and President of the Polo Democrático Alternativo 2012-16

2016- Minister of Housing, Cities and Territories Elsa Margarita Noguera De la Espriella

Updates 05.05.16