Economist from the Universidad de los Andes with studies in Urban and Regional Planning at the Institute of Social Studies in The Hague, Netherlands, and International Relations at Harvard University (USA).

In 1986 he served as Secretary of Popular Integration and Director of the National Rehabilitation Plan (PNR) for the Government of President Virgilio Barco. He established social policies that generated great development issues to hundreds of municipalities across the country.

Two years later, as Minister of Peace (1988-1990), he led the demobilization of the M-19 and other guerrillas who were represented in the National Constituent Assembly that drafted the 1991 Constitution.

Pardo was the first civilian Defense Minister who had the country (1991-1994) after four decades. In his ministerial management he implemented the military training in human rights and promoted the adoption of the Geneva accords on international humanitarian law, while he created the Search Unit to fight the drug cartels.

Between 1996 and 1997 he served as a consultant to the Secretary of the Organization of American States (OAS), César Gaviria in Washington.

In his parliamentary activity (2002-2006), Pardo was honored as one of the best Senators by the seriousness of his proposals and his discussions of political control.

In late 2009, the Liberal National Congress proclaimed him as the new Director of the Colombian Liberal Party, having won the internal consultation which elected him as the candidate of that party for the elections of May 2010.

As Director of the Party, he led the integration of liberal initiatives as the First Employment Law, Law of Victims and Land Law, and the creation of a pension fund for informal workers, among other proposals within the National Unity Agreement called by the government of President Juan Manuel Santos.

He has been professor and researcher at the Universidad de los Andes and has written books such as 'First Hand', 'Between Conflict and Hope', 'New Security for Latin America', 'The last century: the history of war' and 'End of the paramilitary is it possible to dismantle them?

Mauricio Olivera is an economist from the Universidad de Los Andes, MA M.Phil., and a doctoral candidate in Economics from George Washington University. His professional life has developed between research, public sector, academia, and consulting.

During the last five years he was a Research Associate of Fedesarrollo, a research center where he studied various subjects such as the impact of four programs of SENA, the impact of training and internship program of the International Youth Foundation, applied in Medellin, work transitions, among others.

He has also worked in the Department of Research Development Bank (IDB), the National Planning Department as Chief of the Division of Fiscal Analysis of the Macroeconomic Analysis Unit, and has taught in the departments of economics at the Universidad de los Andes and the Universidad del Rosario, among others. He has also been a consultant of the IDB, World Bank and United Nations Program for Development (UNDP).

José Noé Ríos born in Armenia (Quindío), is an economist from the Jorge Tadeo Lozano University and has a degree in Educational Administration from the University of Quindío. He has studied Institutional strengthening and human development at the International Institute of Public Administration of France.

The Vice Minister of Labor Relationships and Inspection, served in November 2011, as coordinator of the Centre for Social and Labor Conflict to the Ministry of Labor and consultant to the office, and holds for the sixth time the position as Vice Minister of labor issues. Furthermore, he was Government Vice Minister, Bogota´s Government secretary Juan Martín Caicedo Ferrer's government and has dedicated his life to the connivance areas and labor relations. During his professional practice he has simultaneously served as a teacher.

During 25 years he has served in the public and private sector, as well as international organizations and has extensive experience in the field of coexistence. Muñoz Rios has been involved in peace processes with M-19, EPL, Quintín Lame, and Corriente de Renovación Socialista. He joined in the peace dialogs in Tlaxcala (Mexico), and the commission appointed to encourage agreements with FARC and ELN. He was also Presidential Council for peace, in administration of President Ernesto Samper, responsibilities that led him to have extensive experience in issues related to reconciliation of the Colombian people.

On January 28th, 2013, was appointed Vice Minister of Labor Relationships and Inspection by the government of President Juan Manuel Santos.

Formulate, adopt and direct the public policy for work to help improve the quality of life of all Colombians to guarantee the right to a decent job by identifying, formalizing and implementing strategies of employment generation; respecting the fundamental rights of work and promoting a social dialogue and assurance for old age.

By 2014 the working sector will count on the fulfillment of goals and the commitments in the National Development Plan, for the generation of a stable employment, labor formalization, and protection for unemployment, training for workers, and a sustainable pension system which is universal and equitable.

The National Apprenticeship Service (SENA) is responsible for fulfilling its role for the State to invest in the social and technical development of Colombian workers by providing and running free Comprehensive Training for the incorporation and development of people in productive activities that contribute to the social, economic and technological development.
For more information visit: www.sena.edu.co

Colombian Pension Administrator, COLPENSIONES is an Industrial and Commercial State financial institution organized as a special character, under the Ministry of Labour, which has as a main concern the administration of the Average Premium with Defined benefit, special benefit assigned by the laws and System Management Economic Benefits Savings program

COLPENSIONES has the tools to professionally manage the resources of our members and pensioners. Our aim is to help Colombians build their future and retirement plans responsibly.
For more information visit: http://www.colpensiones.gov.co/web/

The Special Administrative Unit Solidarity Organizations is the new entity created by the President under the special powers granted by Congress to restructure the state entity that assumes the functions of DANSOCIAL for promotion, the promotion and strengthening of solidarity organizations in Colombia (cooperatives, mutual funds, employees, mutual societies, voluntary groups, associations, corporations, foundations and community organizations).
For more information visit: http://www.dansocial.gov.co/