{{Short description|Colombian politician (born 1966)}} {{Family name hatnote|Char|Chaljub|lang=Spanish}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Alejandro Char Chaljub | image = AlejandroChar.jpg | image_size = 200px | alt = | caption = Char on the political campaign | office = Mayor of Barranquilla | term_start = 1 January 2024 | term_end = | predecessor = Jaime Pumarejo | successor = | term_start1 = 1 January 2016 | term_end1 = 31 December 2019 | predecessor1 = Elsa Noguera | successor1 = Jaime Pumarejo | term_start2 = 1 January 2008 | term_end2 = 31 December 2011 | predecessor2 = Guillermo Hoenigsberg Bornacelly | successor2 = Elsa Noguera | order3 = 57th | office3 = Governor of Atlántico | term_start3 = 21 April 2003 | term_end3 = 1 January 2004 | predecessor3 = Ventura Díaz Mejía | successor3 = Carlos Rodado Noriega | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1966|04|16|df=yes}} | birth_place = Barranquilla, Atlántico, Colombia | death_date = | death_place = | party = Radical Change | spouse = {{marriage|Katia Nule Marino|August 1999}} | relations = Arturo Char (brother) | father = Fuad Char | mother = Adela Chaljub | children = Alejandro Char Nule<br>Mariana Char Nule | alma_mater = Universidad del Norte (BSc) | profession = Civil engineer | website = not available }}
'''Alejandro Char Chaljub''' (born 16 April 1966),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.alexcharalcalde.com/hojav1.html |title=Curriculum Vitae of Alejandro Char |publisher=Official Campaign Site of Alejandro Char |language=Spanish |accessdate=2010-10-26 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071023062902/http://www.alexcharalcalde.com/hojav1.html |archivedate=23 October 2007 }}</ref> commonly known as '''Alex Char''', is a Colombian politician. He is Mayor of Barranquilla for the third time, having previously served two terms <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.eltiempo.com/colombia/barranquilla/alejandro-char-nuevo-alcalde-de-barranquilla/16413415|title='La tarea está a medias en la ciudad': Alejandro Char|date=26 October 2015}}</ref> from 2008 to 2011 and 2016 to 2019. A civil engineer and member of the Radical Change Party, he was councilor for the Liberal Party in 1997 and in 2000 ran for the Governorship of the Department of Atlántico. Initial ballot results gave victory to his contender Ventura Díaz Mejía, but after a lengthy and often criticized process, the Administrative Supreme Court of Colombia reviewed the election results and found Char to be rightful winner of the race and allowed him to serve the remaining period of his term in 2003.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.eltiempo.com/archivo/documento/MAM-967152 |journal=El Tiempo |title=Alejandro Char, Nuevo Gobernador |trans-title=Alejandro Char, New Governor |language=Spanish |accessdate=2010-10-26 |date=2003-04-22 }}</ref>
In 2007 he was elected Mayor or Barranquilla with 221,625 votes equivalent to 58.38% of the total vote,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.registraduria.gov.co/reselec2007/1028/index.html |title=Boletin Informativo Nº 38 |publisher=National Civil Registry of Colombia |accessdate=2010-10-26 |language=Spanish |archive-date=14 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814194901/http://www.registraduria.gov.co/reselec2007/1028/index.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> the biggest margin of votes in the Mayoral election history of Barranquilla, and according to an Invamer/Gallup poll, Char had a 75% approval rating in April 2008, the best ranked mayor of Colombia, a statistic that grew to an 80% approval rating at the end of 2008.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.elespectador.com/impreso/articuloimpreso115809-buena-estrella-de-alejandro-char?page=0,0 |journal=El Espectador |accessdate=2010-10-26 |language=Spanish |date=2009-02-07 |title=La buena estrella de Alejandro Char |trans-title=The Good Star of Alejandro Char |first=Laura |last=Ardila Arrieta |page=1 }}</ref> In 2015 he was reelected for Mayor of Barranquilla defeating his opponent, ex councilor and independent politician Rafael Sanchez Anillo. In 2022, was pre-candidate for the Presidential Election in the representation of the independent movement País de Oportunidades, but he was beaten by Federico Gutiérrez in the primary elections celebrated in March 13, 2022. In October 29, 2023 was elected as Mayor of Barranquilla for third time defeating 5 opponents including the ex councilor of Barranquilla Antonio Eduardo Bohorquez Collazos.
==Family== Alejandro comes from a well-established and influential, Syrian Colombian family that immigrated from Damascus.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Long |first=Gideon |date=2019-10-29 |title=Barranquilla mayor leaves office on a high |work=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/75fda87e-d653-11e9-8d46-8def889b4137 |access-date=2023-12-29}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Semana |date=2022-02-09 |title=¿Quiénes son los Char? La historia de cómo consolidaron su emporio político y económico |url=https://www.semana.com/nacion/articulo/quienes-son-los-char-la-historia-de-como-consolidaron-su-emporio-politico-y-economico/202237/ |access-date=2023-12-29 |website=Semana.com Últimas Noticias de Colombia y el Mundo |language=spanish}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=J&M |date=2022-01-06 |title=Supermercado Olímpica: Oportunidades de empleo Colombia - Empleos |url=https://trabajosinexperiencia.net/supermercado-olimpica-oportunidades-de-empleo/ |access-date=2023-12-29 |website=Trabajo sin Experiencia |language=es}}</ref> he is the son of Fuad Char, a Liberal former Senator of Colombia, former Governor of the Department of Atlantico in 1984, former Minister of Economic Development in 1987, and Ambassador of Colombia to Portugal, and his wife was Adela Chaljub de Char, who died in 1994. His brother, Arturo Char was also a Senator of Colombia, as is his cousin David Char Navas. His other brother, Antonio Char was the president of Junior Barranquilla, the city's foremost football team.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.atleticojunior.com/junior/resehist.html |title=Reseña Histórica De La C.P.D. Júnior |trans-title=Historical Review of the CDP Junior |language=Spanish |publisher=Junior Barranquilla |accessdate=2010-10-26 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101112210033/http://www.atleticojunior.com/junior/resehist.html |archivedate=12 November 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He married Katia Nule Marino on August 27, 1999, of Lebanese descent and a former winner of the Miss Carnival of Barranquilla pageant in 1995. She is the daughter of former Ministry of Mines and Energy and Minister of Communications Guido Alberto Nule Amín, and of Ginger Marino Mendoza, a lawyer and activist.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.eltiempo.com/archivo/documento/MAM-908582 |title=Nule Marino & Char Chaljub |date=1999-09-02 |language=Spanish |journal=El Tiempo }}</ref> Together they have two children, Alejandro Char Nule and Mariana Char Nule.
==Basketball== In 2018, the Titanes de Barranquilla became the city's first professional basketball team in 15 years. Char, who was Barranquilla's major at that time stressed that the team would enjoy his full support as it would support the development of the local youth. Char added that the idea of having the professional team in Barranquilla came from him. He said “we studied it, analyzed it, and gave the go-ahead, because after the Central American and Caribbean Games the city was hungry for sports. And furthermore, these venues need important events to keep them running and what better way than to be with a team like Titanes at the Elías Chegwin stadium.”<ref>[https://www.eluniversal.com.co/deportes/titanes-el-equipo-que-representara-barranquilla-en-el-baloncesto-profesional-288468-JUEU405804 Titanes, el equipo que representará a Barranquilla en el baloncesto profesional] Juan Manuel Cantillo Arrieta (eluniversal.com.co/), 25 September 2021. Accessed 17 November 2021.{{in lang|es}}</ref>
==Controversies== Alejandro Char has been linked with corruption cases, including the bribing of judges, and the purchase of votes for his personal benefit or the benefit of his political allies.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.semana.com/opinion/articulo/el-intocable-por-maria-jimena-duzan/656816/ |title=El Intocable. |date=14 March 2020 |publisher=Revista Semana }}</ref> The accusations were made by former congresswoman Aída Merlano Rebolledo, herself accused of participating in vote-buying patronage networks in the Caribbean Region (Colombia) and currently was returned from Venezuela.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.semana.com/nacion/articulo/primicia-semana-revela-el-escandaloso-video-en-el-que-aida-merlano-se-ve-contando-fajos-de-billetes-para-comprar-votos/202200/ |title=Primicia: SEMANA revela el escandaloso video en el que Aída Merlano se ve contando fajos de billetes para comprar votos. |date=19 February 2022 |publisher=Revista Semana}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{cite web|url=http://www.barranquilla.gov.co/acerca_de.php?lnk=10 |title=Official Profile of Mayor Char |publisher=Office of the Mayor of Barranquilla |accessdate=2010-10-26 |language=Spanish |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101026024230/http://barranquilla.gov.co/acerca_de.php?lnk=10 |archivedate=26 October 2010 |url-status=dead}} * {{cite video |date=2010-10-20 |title=Interview with Mayor Alejandro Char (1 of 3) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nA9_DFed88 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/7nA9_DFed88 |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|language=Spanish |publisher=El Heraldo |location=Barranquilla |accessdate=2010-10-26}}{{cbignore}}
{{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=Ventura Díaz Mejía}} {{s-ttl|title=Governor of Atlántico|years=2003–2004}} {{s-aft|after=Carlos Rodado Noriega}} |- {{s-bef|before=Guillermo Hoenigsberg Bornacelly}} {{s-ttl|title=Mayor of Barranquilla|years=2008–2011}} {{s-aft|after=Elsa Noguera}} |- {{s-bef|before=Elsa Noguera}} {{s-ttl|title=Mayor of Barranquilla|years=2016–2019}} {{s-aft|after=Jaime Pumarejo}} {{s-end}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Char Chaljub, Alejandro}} Category:1966 births Category:People from Barranquilla Alejandro Category:Colombian people of Syrian descent Category:Living people Category:Georgia Tech alumni Category:Colombian civil engineers Category:Governors of Atlántico Department Category:Mayors of places in Colombia Category:Politicians from Atlántico Category:People associated with the 2022 Colombian presidential election Category:Universidad del Norte (Colombia) alumni