Claudia Turbay Quintero
Encyclopedia
Claudia Turbay Quintero (born 27 June 1952) is a Colombian journalist and diplomat. She currently serves as Ambassador
of Colombia
to Switzerland
, with dual accreditation
as Non-Resident Ambassador to Lichtenstein
. Prior to her current post, Turbay served as Ambassador of Colombia to Uruguay
and concurrently as Permanent Representative
of Colombia to the Latin American Integration Association
in Montevideo
from 2002 to 2009, and had over 27 years of experience working with Proexport, holding various positions including Commercial Director in the Miami offices, and Vice President, eventually being appointed President of the agency in 2002.
from Fordham University
with a Master
of Latin American and Caribbean Studies from New York University
.
offices as a clerk in the business library; from there she became and adjunct member in New York City and was later appointed Commercial Director of the Miami office. She returned to Colombia in 1994 and worked for Proexport Advisor to the General Manager, Deputy General Manager, Vice President and eventually President of Proexport in 2002.
as Permanent Representative
to the Latin American Integration Association
by President Álvaro Uribe Vélez in a ceremony that took place in the Palace of Nariño. She presented her credentials the following month to President of Uruguay
Jorge Batlle Ibáñez
at the Estévez Palace
on 8 November, and to ALADI Secretary General Juan Francisco Rojas Penso on 24 November.
Jaime Bermúdez Merizalde as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Colombia to the Swiss Confederation with dual accreditation
to the Principality of Liechtenstein in a ceremony that took place at the Palace of San Carlos. After arriving at her mission
in Bern, Turbay presented her credentials to Swiss President Doris Leuthard
in a ceremony at the Federal Palace of Switzerland on 2 January 2010, and later that year to Crown Prince Alois of Liechtenstein
in ceremony at Vaduz Castle on 17 June.
and his first wife and former First Lady of Colombia Nydia Quintero Turbay
. She is of Lebanese
and Basque descent
through both her parents. The third out of four children, her other siblings are Julio César
, a politician and former Comptroller General of Colombia, Diana Consuelo, a journalist who was killed during a rescue operation following her kidnapping, and María Victoria, a lawyer and Vice President of Fundación Solidaridad por Colombia a nonprofit organization
in Bogotá. She married Jaime Granja Leudo with whom she had one daughter, Claudia Alexandra, but later divorced. From her second marriage she had two children Laura and Santiago.
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
of Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
to Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, with dual accreditation
Dual accreditation
Dual accreditation is the practice in diplomacy of a country granting two separate responsibilities to a single diplomat. One prominent form of dual accreditation is for a diplomat to serve as the ambassador to two countries concurrently...
as Non-Resident Ambassador to Lichtenstein
Lichtenstein
Lichtenstein is surname of:*Aharon Lichtenstein, noted Orthodox rabbi*Alfred Lichtenstein , an American philatelist*Alfred Lichtenstein , a German writer*Bill Lichtenstein, journalist and producer...
. Prior to her current post, Turbay served as Ambassador of Colombia to Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
and concurrently as Permanent Representative
Permanent Representative
A Permanent Representative is the head of a diplomatic mission to one of various international organisations. The best known of the organisations to which states send Permanent Representatives is the United Nations; of these, the most high-profile ones are those assigned to headquarters in New...
of Colombia to the Latin American Integration Association
Latin American Integration Association
The Asociación Latinoamericana de Integración is a Latin American trade integration association, based in Montevideo. Its main objective is the establishment of a common market, in pursuit of the economic and social development of the region...
in Montevideo
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
from 2002 to 2009, and had over 27 years of experience working with Proexport, holding various positions including Commercial Director in the Miami offices, and Vice President, eventually being appointed President of the agency in 2002.
Career
She is a JournalistJournalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
from Fordham University
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
with a Master
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
of Latin American and Caribbean Studies from New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
.
Proexport
Turbay started working with Proexport, then called Proexpo, in 1974 in the New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
offices as a clerk in the business library; from there she became and adjunct member in New York City and was later appointed Commercial Director of the Miami office. She returned to Colombia in 1994 and worked for Proexport Advisor to the General Manager, Deputy General Manager, Vice President and eventually President of Proexport in 2002.
Ambassadorship 2002-2008
On 24 October 2002, Turbay was sworn in as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Colombia to the Oriental Republic of Uruguay with dual accreditationDual accreditation
Dual accreditation is the practice in diplomacy of a country granting two separate responsibilities to a single diplomat. One prominent form of dual accreditation is for a diplomat to serve as the ambassador to two countries concurrently...
as Permanent Representative
Permanent Representative
A Permanent Representative is the head of a diplomatic mission to one of various international organisations. The best known of the organisations to which states send Permanent Representatives is the United Nations; of these, the most high-profile ones are those assigned to headquarters in New...
to the Latin American Integration Association
Latin American Integration Association
The Asociación Latinoamericana de Integración is a Latin American trade integration association, based in Montevideo. Its main objective is the establishment of a common market, in pursuit of the economic and social development of the region...
by President Álvaro Uribe Vélez in a ceremony that took place in the Palace of Nariño. She presented her credentials the following month to President of Uruguay
President of Uruguay
The President of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay is the head of state of Uruguay. His or her rights are determined in the Constitution of Uruguay. Conforms with the Secretariat of the Presidency, the Council of Ministers and the Director of the Office of Planning and Budget, the executive branch...
Jorge Batlle Ibáñez
Jorge Batlle Ibáñez
Jorge Luis Batlle Ibáñez is a politician from Uruguay, a member of the Colorado Party. He served as the President of Uruguay from 2000 to 2005....
at the Estévez Palace
Estévez Palace
The Estévez Palace, or Palacio Estévez, is the oldest working place of the President of Uruguay...
on 8 November, and to ALADI Secretary General Juan Francisco Rojas Penso on 24 November.
Ambassadorship 2010-present
Following the refused acceptance of two previous candidates, President Juan Manuel Santos Calderón submitted the candidacy of Turbay to the Swiss Government for their approval and after receiving the bene placito, Turbay was sworn in on 8 January 2009 by ChancellorMinistry of Foreign Affairs (Colombia)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also known as the Chancellery, is the national executive ministry of the Government of Colombia responsible for the foreign relations of Colombia through its diplomatic missions abroad by formulating foreign policy relevant to the matters of the State, it is...
Jaime Bermúdez Merizalde as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Colombia to the Swiss Confederation with dual accreditation
Dual accreditation
Dual accreditation is the practice in diplomacy of a country granting two separate responsibilities to a single diplomat. One prominent form of dual accreditation is for a diplomat to serve as the ambassador to two countries concurrently...
to the Principality of Liechtenstein in a ceremony that took place at the Palace of San Carlos. After arriving at her mission
Diplomatic mission
A diplomatic mission is a group of people from one state or an international inter-governmental organisation present in another state to represent the sending state/organisation in the receiving state...
in Bern, Turbay presented her credentials to Swiss President Doris Leuthard
Doris Leuthard
Doris Leuthard is a Swiss politician and lawyer. Since 1 August 2006, she has been a member of the Swiss Federal Council. From 1 August 2006 till 31 October 2010 she was head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs...
in a ceremony at the Federal Palace of Switzerland on 2 January 2010, and later that year to Crown Prince Alois of Liechtenstein
Alois, Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein
Alois Philipp Maria, Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein, Count of Rietberg is the eldest son of Hans Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein and Countess Marie Aglaë Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau. Alois has been Regent of Liechtenstein since 15 August 2004...
in ceremony at Vaduz Castle on 17 June.
Personal life
Born on 27 June 1952, she is the daughter of former President of Colombia Julio César Turbay AyalaJulio César Turbay Ayala
Julio César Turbay Ayala was a Colombian politician, member of the Colombian Liberal Party, elected president of the Senate of Colombia and and, was president of Colombia from 1978 to 1982.- Biographic data :...
and his first wife and former First Lady of Colombia Nydia Quintero Turbay
Nydia Quintero Turbay
Nydia Quintero Turbay is a Colombian community organizer and philanthropist, President of Fundación Solidaridad por Colombia, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the condition of impoverished Colombian families through educational and nutritional programs for children, the disabled and...
. She is of Lebanese
Lebanese diaspora
Lebanese diaspora refers to Lebanese migrants and their descendants who by choice or coercion emigrated from Lebanon and now reside in other countries....
and Basque descent
Basque diaspora
The Basque diaspora is the name given to describe people of Basque origin living outside their traditional homeland on the borders between Spain and France...
through both her parents. The third out of four children, her other siblings are Julio César
Julio César Turbay Quintero
Julio César Turbay Quintero is a Colombian lawyer and politician. A Liberal party politician, he served as the 33rd Comptroller General of Colombia, Senator and Chamber Representative, as well as Deputy to the Cundinamarca Departamental Assembly, and Councilmember to various Municipal Councils in...
, a politician and former Comptroller General of Colombia, Diana Consuelo, a journalist who was killed during a rescue operation following her kidnapping, and María Victoria, a lawyer and Vice President of Fundación Solidaridad por Colombia a nonprofit organization
Nonprofit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
in Bogotá. She married Jaime Granja Leudo with whom she had one daughter, Claudia Alexandra, but later divorced. From her second marriage she had two children Laura and Santiago.