Jorge Illueca

Who was Jorge Illueca?

Jorge Enrique Illueca Sibauste was a Panamanian politician and diplomat who served as President of Panama in 1984.

Illueca was born in Panama City, Panama. He attended the University of Panama, Harvard University and the University of Chicago. He became one of the most important lawyers in his country, taught as a professor at the University of Panama, and by the 1970s had begun his diplomatic career, at first working at the United Nations on international law issues. He served as Ambassador of Panama to the United Nations from 1976 to 1981, and as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Panama from 1981 to 1983. In 1982 he was elected Vice President of Panama, and served as President for a few months in 1984 following the president's resignation until new elections in which he did not run. Also during this time, he was president of the UN General Assembly from 1983 to 1984. He served as a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague from 1974-1990 and as a member of the United Nations International Law Commission three times. He continued to work for the United Nations, particularly on environmental issues.