Marta Noemí del Espíritu Santo Sanín Posada (born 6 June 1949) is a Colombian-born politician and diplomat. She was the Conservative party candidate in the 2010 Colombian presidential election. A lawyer from Pontifical Xavierian University and 2001 Fellow at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Harvard University, she has served as Ambassador of Colombia to the United Kingdom, Ambassador of Colombia to Spain, Ambassador of Colombia to Venezuela, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia, and Minister of Communications of Colombia. Before running in 2010 as a Conservative, Sanín ran as an independent candidate during the 1998 presidential election, and again during the 2002 presidential election, backed both times by the Yes Colombia movement. Education Sanín studied law at the Pontifical Xavierian University in Bogotá. She later studied post graduate studies in Commercial law and finance and worked for several entities in the financial sector in both state and private sectors. In 1998 Sanín moved to the United States and established herself in Boston, where she attended Harvard University as a Weatherhead Center for International Affairs Fellow. Political career In 1976 Sanín was appointed as Vice President of Operations and Credit in the Corporación de Ahorro y Vivienda, (Colmena) (Savings and Housing Corporation) until 1979. She was later appointed President of this institution with only 30 years of age and became the first woman in Latin America to ever manage a financial corporation. Her most notable achievements as President of Colmena was to have financed a large portion of the low-income sector of Colombia and expanded the national network of branches from 36 to 63 until the end of her terms in 1983. She also promoted a savings culture among the corporations' clients. Minister of Communications 1983 Sanín served as Minister of Communications between 1983 and 1986, appointed by President of Colombia, Belisario Betancur. Among her achievements as minister of Communications Sanín helped to develop Law 42 of 1985 which modernized Television in Colombia and legalized and organized the regional TV networks. She also helped in the approval and introductions of cable television. This law also modernized other telecommunication state owned companies such as Telecom, Caprecom and Audiovisuales. Palace of Justice siege On November 6, 1985 an urban commando of the 19th of April Movement guerrilla group stormed the Palace of Justice building to demand a public prosecution of then president of Colombia, Belisario Betancur. The president ordered the military to