2014 Event After advancing to the World Cup semifinals, Brazil loses star player Neymar, who suffered a broken vertebra after a knee to the back during the Colombia match 2008 Event Ingrid Betancourt and other hostages are rescued from FARC by Colombia 1999 Event Earthquake kills about 1,185 in Armenia, Colombia 1997 Death Misael Pastrana Borrero, President of Colombia (1970-74), dies 1997 Death Virgilio Boat, president of Colombia (1986-90), dies 1995 Event 6.4 earthquake at Trujillo, Colombia (46+ killed) 1995 Event DC-9 crashes near Maria La Baya, Colombia: 51 die, 9 yr old girl lives 1994 Death Carlos Lleras Restrepo, president of Colombia (1966-70), dies at 86 1994 Event Ernesto Samper sworn in as president of Colombia 1994 Death Andres Escobar, Colombia world cup soccer star, shot for losing to US 1994 Event U.S. beats Colombia 2-1 in 1994 soccer world cup (1st win since 1950) 1994 Event Ernesto Samper elected president of Colombia 1994 Event 6.0 earthquake/avalanche destroys Toez Colombia, about 1000 killed 1993 Event Boeing 727 crashes into mountain at Medellin Colombia, kills 132 1992 Event 6.6 earthquake hits Colombia with no fatalities 1992 Event Colombia drug baron Pablo Escobar escapes prison 1990 Event Cesar Gaviria Trujillo installed as president of Colombia 1990 Event Cesar Gaviria Trujillo chosen President of Colombia 1990 Death Alberto Lleras Camargo, president of Colombia (1945-46, 58-62), dies 1988 Event Carlos Lehder Rivas, of Colombia's Medellin drug cartel, is convicted in Florida for smuggling more than 3 tons of cocaine into US 1986 Event Virgilio Barco elected president of Colombia 1985 Event Volcano Nevado del Ruiz Colombia erupts, 1000s killed 1985 Event Nevado del Ruiz volcano erupts in Colombia, kills 25,000 1985 Event M-19 guerrilla's occupies Palace of Justice Bogota Colombia 1983 Event Earthquake in Colombia kills some 5,000 people 1981 Event Colombia drops diplomatic relations with Cuba 1978 Event Liberal Julio Turbay Ayola wins Colombia elections 1975 Birthday Edgar Renteria, born in Barranquilla, Colombia, infielder for the Florida Marlins 1974 Birthday Claudia Elena Vasquez, Miss Universe-best costume, Colombia, 1997 1974 Event Fall of earth and rocks kill 200 (Quebrada Blanca Canyon, Colombia) 1973 Birthday Fred Rodriguez, born in Bogota, Colombia, cyclist 1996 Olympics 1971 Birthday Mauricio Hadad, Cali Colombia, tennis star, 1995 Bermuda 1971 Event 75th Boston Marathon won by Alvaro Mejia of Colombia in 2:18:45 1970 Birthday Maria Checca, born in Bogota, Colombia, playmate, Aug, 1994 1965 Event Fireworks explosions kill 50 in Cartagena, Colombia 1958 Birthday Roberto Guerrero, Medelin Colombia, Indy racer, Rookie of Year 1984 1958 Event Alberto Lleras Camargo chosen president of Colombia 1957 Event Heavy earthquake strikes Colombia 1957 Event Gabriel Paris forms government of Colombia 1956 Event Dynamite transport explodes in Colombia; about 1200 die 1953 Event Military coup by general Gustavo Rojas Pinilla in Colombia 1950 Birthday Claudia de Colombia, born in Bogato, Columbia, spanish singer, Yo Creo En Ti 1948 Event Org of American States charter signed at Bogota, Colombia 1947 Birthday Cesar Gaviria Trujillo, president, Colombia, 1990-94 1934 Event 1st sitting U.S. president to visit South America, Franklin D. Roosevelt in Colombia 1934 Event Colombia and Peru sign accord about harbor city Leticia 1931 Birthday Rafael Puyana, Bogota Colombia, baroque harpsichordist, New York debut 1957 1921 Birthday Virgilio Barco Vargas, president of Colombia, 1986-90 1914 Event U.S. and Colombia sign a treaty concerning Panama Canal Zone 1909 Event Colombia recognizes Panama's independence 1908 Birthday Carlos Lleras Restrepo, president of Colombia 1906 Event Strongest instrumentally recorded earthquake, Colombia, 8.6 Richter 1903 Event Colombia grants Panama independence 1894 Death Rafael Nunez, president (Colombia)/writer (La fonolgia Moderna), dies 1894 Death Rafael Nunez, Colombia, 3 times president (188?..94), dies at 68 1889 Birthday Jose Eustasio Rivera, Colombia, poet and novelist, Vortex 1886 Event Colombia adopts constitution 1886 Birthday Alfonso Lopez, Colombia, statesman, President United Nations security council-1948 1875 Event Quake in Venezuela and Colombia kills 16,000 1873 Birthday Guillermo Valencia, Colombia, poet/translator/statesman 1865 Birthday Jose Asuncion Silva, Colombia, poet, Nocturno III 1863 Event Confederacion Granadina becomes Estados Unidos de Colombia 1858 Event Confederacion Granadina (now Colombia) forms 1831 Event State Gran Colombia disbands 1830 Death Simon Bolivar, president (Colombia), dies at 47 in Colombia 1825 Birthday Rafael Nunez, Colombia, 3 times president, 188?..94 1819 Event Congress of Angostura establishes Colombia's independence from Spain 1819 Event Battle of Boyaca; Bolivar defeats Spanish in Colombia 1811 Event Cartagena Colombia declares independence from Spain 1810 Event Colombia declares independence from Spain 1586 Event Sir Thomas Herriot introduces potatoes to England, from Colombia 1524 Event Pizarro's begins 1st great expedition, near Colombia
