Carlos Lleras Restrepo

Infobox_President
name=Carlos Lleras
nationality=Colombian


order=30th President of the Republic of Colombia
term_start=August 7, 1966
term_end=August 7, 1970
predecessor=Guillermo León Valencia
successor=Misael Pastrana
birth_date=April 12, 1908
birth_place=Bogotá D.C
death_date=September 27, 1994
death_place=Bogotá D.C
party=Liberal Party

Carlos Lleras Restrepo (April 12, 1908 Bogotá - September 27, 1994, Bogotá) was an important Colombian lawyer and political figure. Carlos Lleras was the third son of the prominent physician and researcher, Dr. Federico Lleras. He went to school in La Salle Institute in Bogotá and later studied law at Universidad Nacional de Colombia. He was also a member of Phi Iota Alpha. He was a cousin of Alberto Lleras Camargo, another important Colombian politician.

He became involved in politics at an early age. By the time he was 21 years old he was a member in the Directory of the Colombian Liberal Party, then in the opposition to the Conservative Party rule. In 1932, during the so called 'Liberal Republic' he was appointed General Comptroller of the country and in the late 30's he was Minister of Finance (Ministro de Hacienda) during the presidency of Eduardo Santos (1938 - 1942). Lleras served as leader of the Liberal Party many times.

He was the elected president of Colombia between 1966 and 1970. During his administration, the Colombian Institute for Agrarian Reform (INCORA) promoted the redistribution of usable land to the peasants and unemployed workers in the country, issuing more than 60,000 titles in 1968 and 1969 alone. Later he founded and produced the magazine 'Nueva Frontera'.

Married to Mrs. Cecilia de la Fuente, Carlos Lleras was the father of Clemencia (d) - mother of Senator German Vargas Lleras-, Carlos - lawyer, journalist and former Ambassador of Colombia in the USA-, Maria Ines (d) and Fernando - poet, writer and musician.