Cristian Moreno Panezo (born September 22, 1970) is a Colombian politician and lawyer from the Universidad del Atlantico with a specialization in constitutional law from the

National University of Colombia The National University of Colombia () is a national public research university in Colombia, with general campuses in Bogotá, Medellín, Manizales and Palmira, and satellite campuses in Leticia, San Andrés, Arauca, Tumaco, and La Paz, Ces ...

. On October 28, 2007 Moreno was elected as

Governor of Cesar Department The Governor of Cesar Department is the popularly elected leader of the Departments of Colombia, department of Cesar Department, Cesar in northern Colombia to manage executive functions. Since the establishment of the Cesar Department on Decembe ...

for the period 2008-2011. He became the first independent candidate to win in the Cesar Department.

Early years

Moreno started his political career after running for the

Department Assembly of Cesar Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

(Asamblea Departamental del Cesar) and was elected deputy for which he served one term. He was later appointed Regional Director of the National Service of Apprenticeship (Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje, SENA) in

Valledupar Valledupar () is a city and municipality in northeastern Colombia. It is the capital of Caesar Department. Its name, ''Valle de Upar'' (Valley of Upar), was established in honor of the Amerindian cacique who ruled the valley; ''Cacique Upar''. ...

and later as advisor to the IberoAmerican States Organization (Organización de Estados Iberoamericanos, OEI).

First candidacy for Governor of Cesar Department

Moreno became notable in the local politics of

Cesar Department Caesar Department ( es, Departamento del Cesar, links=no) or simply Caesar () is a department of Colombia located in the north of the country in the Caribbean region, bordering to the north with the Department of La Guajira, to the west with th ...

during the 2003 Colombian regional election, when he ran for the governorship of Cesar Department against Hernando Molina Araújo and Abraham Jose Romero. During this elections paramilitary groups associated to the

United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia The United Self-Defences of Colombia (''Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia'', or AUC, in Spanish) was a Colombian far-right paramilitary and drug trafficking group which was an active belligerent in the Colombian armed conflict during the period ...

(AUC) and led by Rodrigo Tovar Pupo threatened him and Romero in order to benefit candidate Molina, who was the candidate of their choice. Both candidates retreated from the race alleging that the electoral process was rigged.

Second candidacy for Governor of Cesar Department

In 2007 Moreno postulated his name again for the governorship of Cesar Department during the Colombian regional election in representation of the

Partido Verde – Opción Centro The Green Alliance ( es, Alianza Verde) is a green political party in Colombia. The party advocates social justice, electoral reform and economic sustainability. The party supports the Colombian peace process and formed the electoral alliance C ...

political party. On September 24, 2007 Moreno signed an agreement with the

Alternative Democratic Pole The Alternative Democratic Pole (Spanish: ''Polo Democrático Alternativo'' or PDA) is a left-wing political party in Colombia. It was founded as a political alliance of the Independent Democratic Pole (PDI) and the Democratic Alternative (AD) ...

(PDA) and summoned political forces in Cesar Department. On October 28, 2007 Moreno was elected by the largest difference in an election for governor in the Cesar Department obtaining 140,789 votes against the candidates Arturo Calderón, 93,739 votes and Jaime Murgas Arzuaga with 47,746 votes. He became the first independent candidate to win in the Cesar Department history, traditionally dominated by traditional parties such as the

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

and

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...

parties.EL PILON – Noticias de Politica
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Moreno Panezo, Cristian 1970 births Living people 20th-century Colombian lawyers Governors of Cesar Department People from Bogotá Green Alliance (Colombia) politicians 21st-century Colombian politicians