The Universidad Espiritu Santo (UEES) of Ecuador awarded its highest academic distinction, the Doctorate Honoris Causa, to the former president of Colombia Álvaro Uribe Vélez (2002-2010), in recognition of his political trajectory and regional leadership. The award was presented at the end of the keynote speech. “Leadership and crisis management.”, The former president gave a lecture in front of a full auditorium, with nearly 800 attendees, on the university campus.
Uribe Vélez, a lawyer by profession and one of the most influential figures in contemporary Colombian politics, began his speech by highlighting the academic prestige and social impact of UEES.
“I want to salute with admiration this university for its academic titles and its international recognitions, being one of the six best rated in Latin America. In addition, I want to recognize a social title: during the pandemic, when Guayaquil was hard hit, this university was a redeemer of that situation,” he said.
During his presentation, the former president underscored the relationship between security, democracy and economic development. “Security is a democratic value; it is a source of resources and a fundamental aspect of democracy,” he said. He also emphasized trust as a driver of progress and the role of business as a tool for social equity. “Everything is possible if there is trust in the country. Our concept of business is to help youth entrepreneurship, informal businesses, small and medium-sized enterprises, and to enthusiastically support domestic and foreign investment as a means to build social equity,” he said.
Uribe also addressed a message to his compatriots from Guayaquil, calling to think in the long term. “I repeat to Colombians: we cannot vote for short-term illusions, but for the possibilities of sustainability,” he said. In this line, he highlighted the importance of regional integration and raised the need for a joint strategy for the Andean region. “I wish there could be a kind of ‘Plan Colombia’ for the entire region, including Colombia and Venezuela. This requires determination, and I applaud the determination of President Daniel Noboa”, he added.
At the end of the conference and the question and answer session, UEES officially conferred the Honorary Doctorate to Álvaro Uribe Vélez, who becomes the ninth person to receive this distinction, the highest awarded by Espiritu Santo University.
