Meet the Colombian Consul General
Recently appointed Colombian Consul General William René Salamanca Ramirez has had a long police career in Colombia. In his time as Inspector General overseeing the public conduct of those in office and the functions of government agencies, he created the Human Rights Observatory and fought for transparency in the National Police. He also implemented a Children and Adolescents Police and strengthened the nation’s Environmental Police, among other accomplishments.
His security assignments included the protection of presidential candidates and other political figures, and he has also advised the current Colombian president, Gustavo Petro, on issues of security, environmental protections, and natural resources.
Latest Achievement
Last October, President Petro appointed Salamanca Ramirez to be the central consul general in Miami. Working out of the consulate’s Coral Gables office across from the Coral Gables Museum, Salamanca Ramirez is working to support government institutions like ProColombia, which helps promote international trade, tourism, and investment in Colombia, and to service the roughly 800,000 Colombians who live in South Florida.
“We are also conscious that the goals of President Petro [include the] protection of the environment, water, and life, and how the government of the United States adds to these initiatives,” the consul general said.
What He Says
“It was an exclusive decision of [President] Gustavo Petro that I be chosen as the consul general in Miami, with various purposes. The first, to unite the Colombian community. The second, to accompany the Colombians here and strengthen his [advocacy] for their activities in academia, culture, sports, and gastronomy…. And third, to strengthen the cooperative bonds between the state authorities and federal authorities, and [ensure] that the Colombian Consulate be a consulate with an open-door policy to all Colombian citizens.”
As for Coral Gables, Salamanca Ramirez says, “I’m delighted with the city’s welcome to the activities provided by Colombians here… I also find diverse cultures, which… requires admiration for a city like this that welcomes so many citizens from various nationalities.”