The Holy Father has appointed Bishop César Alcides Balbín Tamayo as bishop of Cartago, Colombia, transferring him from the diocese of Caldas.

Msgr. César Alcides Balbín Tamayo was born in Santa Rosa de Osos on 8 September 1958. He completed his philosophical and theological studies at the Santo Tomás de Aquino diocesan seminary. He holds a licentiate in moral theology from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, a licentiate in philosophy and science of religious education from the Universidad Católica de Oriente in Colombia, and a Master of Business Administration from the Escuela de Administración de Empresa in Barcelona, Spain.

He was ordained to the priesthood on 19 November 1985, incardinated in the diocese of Santa Rosa de Osos.

He has held the following posts: parish vicar of San Luis Gonzaga in Anorí, parish vicar of Nuestra Señora de La Asunción in Sopetrán, parish vicar of Nuestra Señora de Los Dolores in Tarazá, parish vicar in Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes in Yarumal, rector of the Seminario Menor Monseñor Miguel Ángel Builes, rector of the Santo Tomás de Aquino diocesan seminary, director of the Cooperativa Fraternidad Sacerdotal, administrator of the Colombian Mutuo Auxilio Sacerdotal, financial director of the Colombian Episcopal Conference and parish priest of Santa Bárbara in Bellavista.

On 28 January 2015, he was appointed as bishop of Caldas and received episcopal consecration on the following 7 March.

Appointment of member of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences

The Holy Father has appointed the distinguished Professor Virgílio Maurício Viana, general superintendent of the Foundation for Amazon Sustainability (FAS), a member of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.

The distinguished Professor Virgílio Maurício Viana was born on 26 December 1960. He was awarded a doctorate in Evolutionary Biology from Harvard University in 1989. Among other roles, he has serves as president of the Sociedade Brasileira de Etnobiologia e Etnoecologia (SBEE) and president of the Associação Paulista de Engenheiros Florestais (APAEF). He is currently general superintendent of the Foundation for Amazon Sustainability (FAS) and member of The Lancet COVID-19 Commission. He has published various books and articles on Amazonia, climate change, forest management and agroforestry, and environmental protection.