October 14, 2004
By William Delgado

BOGOTA, Columbia - Evangelical leader Claudia Rodrmguez de Castellanos was sworn in October 6 as Colombia's new ambassador to Brazil.

Lawyer Rodrmguez de Castellanos, graduate of the Law Faculty of the University of Greater Colombia and her husband Pastor Cesar Castellanos founded the International Charismatic Mission Church, one of the largest in Colombia.

Rodrmguez de Castellanos was president of the International Charismatic Mission between May 1998 and July 2000 when Cesar and Claudia Fajardo were appointed presidents of the growing mission.

Currently the Charismatic Mission is one of the fastest growing neo-Pentecostal movements in the country. It holds weekly meetings in the El Camping Coliseum, with nearly 40,000 people. It also holds annual conventions with more than 75,000 in the Nemesio Camacho Stadium.

The mission has two radio stations, one in Cucuta, in the department of Santander and the other in Bogota. Moreover, it administers a secondary school.

The new Colombian Ambassador in Brasilia was also Senator between 1991 and 1994 for the National Christian Party. She has served as president of the Human Rights Commission in Senate and ran as Mayor of Bogota.

ALC News Service