[4] He attended primary school in Colombia, but had to complete his studies in New York, when, on 13 June 1953, General Gustavo Rojas Pinilla overthrew President Laureano Gómez (for whom his father Jorge has worked as minister since 1950).

Leyva collaborated with the FARC in dialogues with the demilitarization of the municipality of La Uribe, but, as a result of the outbreak of the illegal financing scandal of the Samper campaign known as Process 8,000, the negotiations went to the background and finally the attempts to peace.

[11] Leyva achieved the release in 1997 of 60 soldiers who were kidnapped at the Las Delicias base in 1996, and again attempted a peace agreement with the FARC, which was reached in 1998 with President Andrés Pastrana.

[20] After the elections, Leyva continued to carry out peace efforts to reach a humanitarian agreement with the guerrillas during the second administration of President Uribe, with the knowledge and approval of the government.

[22][23] He was the promoter of the referendum in the Conservative Party, an initiative that other directors of that group (such as former President Pastrana) did not allow to prosper to stop his possible presidential aspiration in 1986, turning support towards Álvaro Gómez Hurtado.

César Gaviria, close to the assassinated candidate Luis Carlos Galán (the favorite in the polls) ended up defeating Gómez in the elections, and Lloreda only came in fourth place.

As a promoter of total peace, he has represented the country in different areas of the world, he has been one of the fundamental supports of the president in the expansion of foreign affairs, migration policy, as well as the implementation of new bilateral agreements.