Ricardo Vélez Rodríguez (born 15 November 1943) is a Colombian-Brazilian philosopher and former Minister of Education of Brazil.

Biography

Rodríguez was born in 1943 in Bogotá, Colombia. He received a degree in Philosophy from the

Pontifical Xavierian University The Pontifical Xavierian University (in Spanish Pontificia Universidad Javeriana) is a private higher education institution founded in 1623. It is one of the oldest, most traditional, and prestigious Colombian universities, directed by the Soc ...

in 1963, and in 1967 received a degree in

Theology Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...

from the Bogotá Seminar. In 1974 he received a master's degree from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro and in 1982 received a doctorate in philosophy from Universidade Gama Filho. He is a professor of religion at the

Federal University of Juiz de Fora The Federal University of Juiz de Fora ( pt, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, UFJF) is a public research university in Brazil. Throughout its over 50 years of existence, the university has undergone significant growth, strengthening the qual ...

. Rodríguez is a fierce critic of the Workers' Party, the Brazilian National High School Exam, and is a proponent of the " Escola sem Partido" ("Nonpartisan School") project. His political views have been described as far-right. He had been recommended by the philosopher

Olavo de Carvalho Olavo Luiz Pimentel de Carvalho (29 April 1947 – 24 January 2022) was a Brazilian polemicist, self-proclaimed philosopher, political pundit, former astrologer, journalist, and far-right conspiracy theorist. From 2005 until his death, he live ...

. On 22 November 2018, Brazilian President-elect Jair Bolsonaro announced that Rodríguez would serve as Brazil's Minister of Education in the coming administration. He took office on 1 January 2019.

References

1943 births Living people People from Bogotá Pontifical Xavierian University alumni Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro alumni Brazilian anti-communists Conservatism in Brazil Roman Catholic writers Education Ministers of Brazil Colombian academics Brazilian academics Brazilian conspiracy theorists 20th-century Brazilian philosophers Federal University of Juiz de Fora {{Brazil-politician-stub