Dagoberto Suárez Melo

Dagoberto Suárez Melo (died December 4, 2010) was a Colombian politician who served as the Governor of Guaviare Department in 2010.[1]

Suárez's predecessor as the Governor of Guaviare, Oscar López Cadavid, resigned from office due to an investigation over his alleged ties to drug traffickers and Pedro "Cuchillo" Oliveiro Guerrero, a militia leader.[1][2]

Dagoberto Suárez, a member of the National Integration Party (PIN), was elected Governor of Guaviare in a special gubernatorial election in February 2010.[1] Suarez garnered 11,777 votes in the election, while his nearest opponent, José Pérez Restrepo of the Colombian Conservative Party, placed second with 7,132 votes.[3] Liberal candidate Janeth Solano came in a distant third place with 865 votes.[3] Suárez's election ended twelve consecutive years of Conservative Party rule in Guaviare.[3]

In the early morning of December 4, 2010, Governor Suárez was fatally injured in a car accident while driving on the road known for potholes from Granada, Meta to San José del Guaviare.[1] He had been attending a regional forum in Granada on the previous day.[2]

The accident took place in an area called Los Mangos, a rural section of the municipality of Puerto Concordia in Meta Department.[1] Suarez suffered severe head injuries in the accident, including a cerebral hemorrhage and inflammation.[1] He was flown by helicopter to the hospital, where he underwent surgery to relieve pressure to his brain.[1] According to the director of the Hospital Departamental de Villavicencio, Dagoberto Suárez died during the operation at the age of 35, .[1] Five of Suarez's bodyguards were treated and released from the hospital.[2]

Paul Robledo, the deputy justice minister of Guaviare, became the acting governor until a permanent successor could be chosen.[4]