Earlier this month, Luis Carlos Reyes Hernández was named as Colombia’s new minister of commerce, industry, and tourism.

Photo: Luis Carlos Reyes being sworn in as the new head of MinCIT. (Credit: Presidencia)

Reyes, a 40-year-old from Bogotá, takes over during an uncertain economic time nearly halfway through the four-year presidency of President Gustavo Petro, who took office in August 2022.

According to the government, Reyes will be taking over the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism (MinCIT) with a primary goal of strengthening the economy while maintaining the president’s decarbonization agenda and promoting Colombia as a tourist destination throughout the world.

Reyes will also be tasked with continuing to expand trade relations with foreign partners and generally ensuring that Colombia receives fair treatment as it operates in the international market.

The new minister graduated from Florida International University in the United States with a degree in economics and history before earning a master’s degree in economics and a doctorate in economics from Michigan State University.

Professionally, Reyes has served as general director of the National Tax and Customs Directorate (DIAN) and an economist for the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

He has also spent time teaching and conducting research on economic development and public economics. He has published academic works in international journals such as World Development, the Journal of Institutional Economics, and the Economics Bulletin.