Luis Carlos Villegas is the ambassador of Colombia to the United States since November 13, 2013. He served as president of the National Business Association of Colombia (ANDI) from 1996 to 2013. In addition, Villegas is a member of the Colombian government's negotiating team in the ongoing peace talks with the FARC. He was also president of the Board of Directors of the Fund for the Reconstruction and Social Development for the Coffee Belt (FOREC) from 1999 to 2000. In addition, he was president of the Association for CEE/Latin American Business Cooperation (ACE) and the Andean Business Advisory Council from 1998 to 1999. Prior to ANDI, he served as President of Corfioccidente from 1992 to 1995. Villegas has also held a number of positions in public office, including senator and governor of the Risaralda department. He was also international secretary of the Colombian Liberal Party from 1989 to 1994. Between 1979 and 1989, he served in various capacities, including deputy minister of Foreign Affairs; general secretary of the National Federation of Coffee Growers; secretary of the Commission of Foreign Affairs; secretary-general and under-secretary for Economic and Social Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and also economic counselor at the Embassy of Colombia in Paris. He has also been a member of numerous boards of directors, including Ecopetrol and the Colombian Foundation for Education and Opportunities (FundaColombia-CocaCola). Ambassador Villegas has been awarded the highest civilian distinctions by the Colombian government and from the governments of Spain, Italy, France, Argentina, Ecuador, Brazil, and Peru. Ambassador Villegas received both his bachelor's degree in socioeconomics and law degree from the Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá. He also submitted a D.A. in Public Administration from the University of Paris.