Juan Oropeza

Juan Oropeza Riera (Carora Lara April 24, 1.906-Caracas November 29, 1.971). was a venezuelan writer, lawyer, politician and diplomat. Born in Carora, Lara on April, 24 1.906. As a youth, he opposed the dictatorial regime of President Juan Vicente Gómez and became a member of the student-led movement called "Generación del´28", basically conceived to overthrow him. He was imprisoned and eventually sent into exile with some of the other party members. Upon his return to Venezuela he became a founding member of "Acción Democrática" one of the two most prominent political parties in the nation's republican history, alongside such important figures as Luis Beltrán Prieto Figueroa, Mariano Picón Salas and former Venezuelan President Rómulo Betancourt. In 1.944 he married socialite Alicia Sosa González, the daughter of a very wealthy businessman, they had one son Serge Oropeza Sosa (b. 1.949 in Paris, France). Under Isaias Medina Angarita's presidential term, he was appointed Venezuela's Ambassador in London, England and, subsequently, became the chancellor of the "Universidad Central de Venezuela". Under Rómulo Gallego's term he became Venezuela´s Ambassador in France, a position he held for Rómulo Betancourt and Raúl Leoni's presidencies, in latter years. During that time, he was also chosen to represent Venezuela as its Ambassador before UNESCO and, during Raúl Leoni's presidency, was appointed the Venezuelan Amabassador in Bogotá, Colombia, the highest diplomatic honor anyone can achieve. He received la "Orden del Libertador" and la "Orden Francisco de Miranda", perhaps the most important distinctions ever to be bestowed upon political figures in Venezuela as well as la Orden del Aguila Azteca (México), in recognition for his outstanding teaching skills. He was a Law Professor at the University of Minnesotta. Some of his literary works are: "Sucre", "Cuatro siglos de historia venezolana", "Fronteras" and "Del tiempo en que vivimos". His close friend Pablo Neruda once said of him: "Juan couldn't possibly be the President, let someone else do that, he's far too intelligent and honest to ever be the President". Arturo Uslar Pietri, one of Juan Oropeza's best friends, his intellectual equal and arguably the most brilliant venezuelan thinker and writer of the 20th century, once ran for office, without much success on account of his lack of political savy, due partly to his impecable prose, refined manners and strong moral values and points of view, obvious trademarks of his well-to-do upbringing. Everyone agreed on the fact that he was more of an intellectual icon than a potential president, so in the end, Neruda´s words were proven right. Juan Oropeza died of Cancer in Caracas, Venezuela at the age of 65, on November 29, 1.971.