Gabriel Betancourt Mejía (April 27, 1918, in Medellín – March 23, 2002, in Bogotá) was a Colombian economist and diplomat who served as Colombia's Minister of National Education in two occasions, and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO.
Gabriel Betancourt was born in Medellín on April 27, 1918, to Pedro Nolasco Adriano Betancur Toro and Mariana Mejía Arango as the youngest of 9 children.
He later became assistant director of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Gabriel Betancourt divorced his wife Yolanda Pulecio in 1980 and was granted custody of his daughters.
Gabriel Betancourt died of heart and respiratory trouble a month after Íngrid's kidnapping, without seeing his daughter again.