Fuad Char

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Char and the second or maternal family name is Abdala.

Fuad Ricardo Char Abdala (born 5 October 1937) is a Colombian businessman and politician who served as Governor of Atlántico from 1984 to 1987, as Minister of Economic Development from 1987 to 1988 under President Virgilio Barco, and later as Colombian Ambassador to Portugal from 2008 to 2009 under President Álvaro Uribe. Char also served as a Senator of Colombia three times, being one of the highest-ranking.^[1]

Fuad Char
Senator of Colombia
In office 20 July 2010 – 20 July 2014
In office 20 July 1998 – 20 July 2006
In office 20 July 1990 – 20 April 1995
Colombian Ambassador to Portugal
In office 30 September 2008 (2008-09-30) – 5 June 2009 (2009-06-05)
President	Álvaro Uribe
Preceded by	Plinio Apuleyo Mendoza
Succeeded by	Arturo Sarabia
Minister of Economic Development
In office 1987–1988
President	Virgilio Barco
Preceded by	Miguel Merino Gordillo
Succeeded by	Carlos Arturo Marulanda
48th Governor of Atlántico
In office 1984–1987
Appointed by	Belisario Betancur
Preceded by	Abel Francisco Carbonell
Succeeded by	Gerardo Certain
Personal details
Born	Fuad Ricardo Char Abdala (1937-10-05) 5 October 1937 (age 87) Lorica, Córdoba, Colombia
Political party	Radical Change (2006-present)
Other political affiliations	Liberal (1984-2006)
Spouses	Adela Chaljub ​ ​ (m. 1963; died 1994)​ María Mercedes de la Espriella ​ ​ (m. 2004)​
Children	Arturo Alejandro Antonio

Born in Lorica, Córdoba, Char is one of the most powerful businessmen in Colombia and the entire Caribbean region of the country. He is the founder and current president of the Olimpica Business Group. Of Syrian origin, he is the patriarch of one of the most influential families in Atlántico; his descendants have been known for their active work in politics. His eldest son, Alejandro, has been Mayor of Barranquilla three times, and his younger son, Arturo, was President of the Senate.

Early life, marriage and family

Fuad Ricardo Char Abdala was born on 5 October 1937, in Lorica, Córdoba,^[2] to Syrian migrants Roberto Char and Erlinda Abdala de Char (née Abdala Chadjur). His father, was originally from Damascus, Syria, and had migrated to Colombia in late 1926,^[3] settling in Lorica, Córdoba, which was then home to the largest colony of migrants from Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine.^[4] Fuad has four auncles: Jabib, Farid, Simón, and Ricardo Jr.^[5][6]

In June 1963, he married his first cousin, Adela Chaljub,^[7] daughter of Antonio Chaljub of Lebanese origin and his aunt Rosa Char de Chaljub (née Char Zaslawy), with whom he had three sons, Alejandro, Arturo, and Antonio.^[8] Adela died in July 1994 at the age of 51 due to a bone disease.^[9][10]