Gustavo García de Paredes


Gustavo García de Paredes Aued was a Panamanian educator, historian, philosopher, and politician. He was the rector of the University of Panama for five consecutive terms: 1994–1997, 1997–2000, 2003–2005, 2006–2011, and 2012–2016. García also served as the Minister of Education of Panama from 1978 until 1981, manager of the Colón Free Trade Zone from 1981 to 1982, and Ambassador to Brazil from 1983 to 1988.

Biography

García was born in Tripoli, modern-day Lebanon, on 23 September 1938. He received a bachelor's degree in philosophy with a specialization in universal history from the University of Madrid in 1962. Garcia then completed his doctorate of philosophy, also from the University of Madrid in 1962.
In 1998, García announced his candidacy for President of Panama in the forthcoming 1999 Panamanian general election, but lost the Democratic Revolutionary Party's nomination to Martín Torrijos. García received only 1,498 votes in the PRD's presidential primary election against Torrijos.
García de Paredes died on 6 September 2024, at the age of 85.

Awards and decorations