vallenato composer Rafael Escalona and journalist Consuelo Araújo. He served as governor of Cesar from December 21, 1967, until August 14, 1968. Cabinet Secretary of Government: Luis Roberto García Secretary of Development: Alvaro Pupo Pupo Administrative Office Chief: Alvaro Araujo Noguera Chief of Planning: Jorge Chaild Velez Chief of Education: Cesar Fernandez Dager Chief of Agricultural Sector: Hernan Osorio Chief of Public Works: Emiro Alfonso Zuleta Chief of Budget and Accountability: Teobaldo Manjarrez Chief of General Services: Damazo Lora Chief of Personnel: Jorge Gomez Chief of Judicial Bureau: Uribe Habid Molina Administrator of Rents: Diomedes Daza Daza Private Secretary: Cesar Escobar Ortega Chief of Public Relations: Rafael Escalona Minister of Foreign Affairs A year later, he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs until the end of the presidential term of President Carlos Lleras Restrepo in 1970. Presidency (1974–1978) In 1974, López was chosen by the Liberal Party as their candidate for president, after defeating former president Carlos Lleras Restrepo in the party presidential primaries, with the support of former candidate (and presidential successor) Julio César Turbay. He won the general election by a large margin against the Conservative Party candidate Álvaro Gómez Hurtado, and the ANAPO candidate, María Eugenia Rojas. His 2,929,719 votes were the highest ever for any president until that time. His inaugural presidential speech, delivered on August 7, 1974, is mostly remembered for calling the disputed border area in the Gulf of Venezuela by its native indigenous name, "Gulf of Coquibacoa" given by the wayuus. In his speech he also promised to reduce the growing gap between farmer and urban populations and to fight poverty, messages that attracted the support of many left-wing political movements. As a president, López declared economic emergency in order to correct the fiscal deficit, which allowed him to implement a number of regulatory measures to control spending, and to reduce subsidies and programs like the tax credit certificate (CAT) which reimbursed partial or total taxes for exporting companies. He also introduced a tax and fiscal reform which increased national saving, and allowed an increase in public investment and exports. Crop production increased 16%, and he also created public offices devoted to the improvement of farming. Under his government, also, power grids were expanded, and infrastructure investment increased. In contrast, inflation reached under his government its highest historical values, at around 32%. Early support for his policies soon turned to fierce opposition, as