Jaime Bermudez, Colombia

MSc Political Science

University of Oxford

"Thanks to this scholarship I had the opportunity to study in one of the best universities in the world and to get to know the culture of the UK."

"This allowed me at the same time, to meet people from all over the world. The experience, both academically as well as culturally, turned into an opportunity which opened up unforeseen possibilities."

Jaime Bermudez was appointed Colombian Minister of Foreign Relations in July 2008. Previously, he was the Colombian Ambassador in Argentina. He was a Chevening Scholar at Oxford University in 1994/95, studying Political Science. While undertaking his doctoral studies in Political Sciences with a specialisation in Public Opinion, he met Alvaro Uribe who was also undertaking postgraduate studies at Oxford. Jaime enjoyed his studies at Oxford and was very sociable. In the first term of the Uribe presidency he was the Communications Advisor to the President and was responsible for the coordination of Colombia's image abroad. He is regarded as sharp, discrete and one of the few people who is able to contradict the President. He has a particular interest in regional relationships and wrote the book 'Colombia and Venezuela, a New Bilateral Scheme.'

He has responsibility, amongst other things, for improving relations with the Government of Ecuador and handling his country's difficult relations with Nicaragua. One of his priorities is to encourage a more accurate set of perceptions internationally about Colombia, beyond the sometimes lurid headlines about the drug problem and armed conflict.