# Fuad Char

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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuad_Char
> Source revision: 1352708673
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{{short description|Colombian politician (born 1937)}}
{{family name hatnote|Char|Abdala|lang=Spanish}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name         = Fuad Char
| image        = Fuad Char.jpg
| alt          = 
| caption      = 
| office       = [Senator of Colombia](/source/Senator_of_Colombia)
| term_start   = 20 July 2010
| term_end     = 20 July 2014
| term_start2  = 20 July 1998
| term_end2    = 20 July 2006
| term_start3  = 20 July 1990
| term_end3    = 20 April 1995
| office4      = [Colombian Ambassador to Portugal](/source/Colombian_Ambassador_to_Portugal)
| term_start4  = {{start date|2008|9|30|df=y}}
| term_end4    = {{end date|2009|6|5|df=y}}
| president4   = [Álvaro Uribe](/source/%C3%81lvaro_Uribe)
| predecessor4 = Plinio Apuleyo Mendoza
| successor4   = [Arturo Sarabia](/source/Arturo_Sarabia)
| office5      = [Minister of Economic Development](/source/Ministry_of_Economic_Development_(Colombia))
| term_start5  = 1987
| term_end5    = 1988
| president5   = [Virgilio Barco](/source/Virgilio_Barco)
| predecessor5 = Miguel Merino Gordillo
| successor5   = [Carlos Arturo Marulanda](/source/Carlos_Arturo_Marulanda)
| office6      = 48th [Governor of Atlántico](/source/Governor_of_Atl%C3%A1ntico)
| term_start6  = 1984
| term_end6    = 1987
| appointer6   = [Belisario Betancur](/source/Belisario_Betancur)
| predecessor6 = Abel Francisco Carbonell
| successor6   = Gerardo Certain
| birth_name   = Fuad Ricardo Char Abdala
| birth_date   = {{Birth date and age|1937|10|05|df=y}}
| birth_place  = [Lorica](/source/Santa_Cruz_de_Lorica), [Córdoba](/source/C%C3%B3rdoba_Department), Colombia
| death_date   = 
| death_place  = 
| party        = [Radical Change](/source/Radical_Change) (2006-present)
| other_party  = [Liberal](/source/Colombian_Liberal_Party) (1984-2006)
| spouse       = {{Unbulleted list|
{{marriage|[Adela Chaljub](/source/Adela_Chaljub_de_Char)|29 June 1963|13 July 1994|reason=died}}
|{{marriage|María Mercedes de la Espriella|2004}}
}}
| children     = {{hlist|[Arturo](/source/Arturo_Char_Chaljub)|[Alejandro](/source/Alejandro_Char_Chaljub)|Antonio|}}
}}
'''Fuad Ricardo Char Abdala''' (born 5 October 1937) is a Colombian businessman and politician who served as [Governor of Atlántico](/source/Governor_of_Atl%C3%A1ntico) from 1984 to 1987, as [Minister of Economic Development](/source/Ministry_of_Commerce%2C_Industry_and_Tourism_(Colombia)) from 1987 to 1988 under President [Virgilio Barco](/source/Virgilio_Barco), and later as [Colombian Ambassador to Portugal](/source/Colombian_Ambassador_to_Portugal) from 2008 to 2009 under President [Álvaro Uribe](/source/%C3%81lvaro_Uribe). Char also served as a [Senator of Colombia](/source/Senator_of_Colombia) three times, being one of the highest-ranking.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lasillavacia.com/quien-es-quien/fuad-char-abdala/|title=Fuad Char|access-date=21 March 2025|date=12 February 2021|website=La Silla Vacía}}</ref>

Born in [Lorica](/source/Santa_Cruz_de_Lorica), [Córdoba](/source/C%C3%B3rdoba_Department), Char is one of the most powerful businessmen in Colombia and the entire [Caribbean](/source/Caribbean_region_of_Colombia) region of the country. He is the founder and current president of the [Olimpica Business Group](/source/Olimpica_Business_Group). Of [Syrian origin](/source/Syrian_Colombians), he is the patriarch of one of the most influential families in [Atlántico](/source/Atl%C3%A1ntico_Department); his descendants have been known for their active work in politics. His eldest son, [Alejandro](/source/Alejandro_Char), has been Mayor of [Barranquilla](/source/Barranquilla) three times, and his younger son, [Arturo](/source/Arturo_Char), was President of the Senate.

==Early life, marriage and family==
Fuad Ricardo Char Abdala was born on 5 October 1937, in [Lorica](/source/Santa_Cruz_de_Lorica), [Córdoba](/source/C%C3%B3rdoba_Department),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lachachara.org/fuad-char-forjador-de-una-historia-de-exitos-2/|title=Fuad Char, forjador de una historia de éxitos|access-date=15 April 2025|date=5 October 2024|website=La Cháchara}}</ref> to [Syrian migrants](/source/Syrian_diaspora) Roberto Char and Erlinda Abdala de Char (née Abdala Chadjur). His father, was originally from [Damascus](/source/Damascus), Syria, and had migrated to Colombia in late 1926,<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=85131029008|title=Llenando el vacío: el surgimiento de los Colombo Arabes como actores políticos en Barranquilla y la región Caribe|access-date=16 July 2014|date=14 May 2014|issue=41|pages=211–241|issn=0121-8697|last=Di Ricco|first=Massimo|journal=Revista Derecho}}</ref> settling in Lorica, Córdoba, which was then home to the largest colony of migrants from [Syria](/source/Syria), [Lebanon](/source/Lebanon), and [Palestine](/source/Palestine).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eje21.com.co/2015/04/breve-historia-de-fuad-char/|title=Breve historia de Fuad Char|access-date=12 April 2025|date=19 April 2015|website=eje21}}</ref> Fuad has four auncles: Jabib, Farid, Simón, and Ricardo Jr.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/75fda87e-d653-11e9-8d46-8def889b4137|title=Alcaldesa de Barranquilla deja el cargo con buenos ojos|access-date=19 December 2023|date=29 October 2019|last=Long|first=Gideon|newspaper=Financial Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.semana.com/quienes-son-la-familia-char/608494/|title=¿Quiénes son los Char?|access-date=19 December 2023|date=7 April 2019|website=Semana}}</ref>

In June 1963, he married his first cousin, [Adela Chaljub](/source/Adela_Chaljub_de_Char),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.las2orillas.co/adela-chaljub-la-matrona-ausente-en-la-familia-char/|title=Adela Chaljub, la matrona ausente en la familia Char|access-date=12 March 2023|date=11 March 2023|website=Las 2 Orillas}}</ref> daughter of Antonio Chaljub of [Lebanese](/source/Lebanese_Colombian) origin and his aunt Rosa Char de Chaljub (née Char Zaslawy), with whom he had three sons, Alejandro, Arturo, and Antonio.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pulzo.com/nacion/adelita-chaljub-char-quien-fue-que-tiene-que-ver-con-junior-PP2799393|title=Quién fue Adelita de Char y por qué su nombre aparece en clínicas y hasta en sede de Junior|access-date=14 May 2023|date=12 May 2023|website=Pulzo}}</ref> Adela died in July 1994 at the age of 51 due to a bone disease.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=http://www.eltiempo.com/archivo/documento/MAM-269004|title=Murió la Mamá de los Char en Barranquilla|access-date=22 March 2025|date=19 January 2024|journal=[El Tiempo](/source/El_Tiempo_(Colombia))}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|url=http://www.eltiempo.com/archivo/documento/MAM-383996|title=En Bogotá|access-date=17 April 2024|date=7 January 1996|journal=[El Tiempo](/source/El_Tiempo_(Colombia))}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Char, Fuad}}
Category:1937 births
Category:Living people
Category:People from Córdoba Department
Fuad
Category:Colombian people of Syrian descent
Category:Members of the Senate of Colombia
Category:Ministers of economic development of Colombia
Category:Politicians from Atlántico
Category:Governors of Atlántico Department
Category:Ambassadors of Colombia
Category:Ambassadors to Portugal

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Fuad Char](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuad_Char) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuad_Char?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.