Arturo Puricelli
Encyclopedia
Arturo Puricelli is an Argentine lawmaker, currently the country's Minister of Defense
.
, and became affiliated with the populist Justicialist Party
. Earning a Law Degree
in 1973, he returned to Santa Cruz, was named Inspector General
of the Provincial Justice Ministry, and in 1975, was appointed Minister of Social Policy.
He started a private law practice, Puricelli & Associates, after the March 1976 coup, when nearly all elected officials were removed. The distatorship ultimately called for elections in 1983
, and Puricelli secured his party's nomination as a candidate for governor of Santa Cruz. The victorious Puricelli was among the youngest and, with 56 % of the vote, the third-most decisively elected governor that year.
His rival in the primaries, a young banking attorney, Néstor Kirchner
, was appointed head of the Provincial Social Security Fund by the new governor. Puricelli hoped this might earn his fledgling administration greater backing from Kirchner's supporters, but the move backfired when in April 1984, the latter refused the governor's request for borrowing from the fund to cover the provincial deficit. As governor, Puricelli pursued a greater share of the hundreds of millions of dollars in fossil fuel
royalties
generated largely by the then-state owned oil concern, YPF, and sued the federal government to that effect. He also strove to diversify his remote province's economy, and established the resort town of El Chaltén
by way of promoting tourism
.
Constitutionally barred from seeking re-election upon the end of his term in 1987, Puricelli was elected President of the Santa Cruz chapter of the Justicialist Party. He supported veteran party figure Antonio Cafiero
, who had just been elected Governor of Buenos Aires Province
, as his party's nominee ahead of the 1989 presidential elections
, and obtained the support of numerous Santa Cruz Justicialists, including Kirchner, for Cafiero's Renewal Front ticket. The support of the new governor, Ricardo del Val, for a dark horse candidate, La Rioja
Governor Carlos Menem
, proved decisive, however, and Menem won 80% of the Santa Cruz vote during the 1988 primary. He became the Justicialist nominee, and was elected president the following year.
Puricelli was elected to the Argentine Chamber of Deputies
during the same elections. He ran again for governor in 1991
, but was defeated in the primaries by Kirchner, who at the time enjoyed President Menem's support. Having refused to campaign for Menem during the general election, Puricelli adopted a more pragmatic stance towards the president during the latter's 1989-99 administration, and in 1996, he was named head of the state postal service, Encotesa; Puricelli served in a caretaker capacity ahead of the postal carrier's 1997 privatization.
He returned to Santa Cruz and in 1997 was elected to the Provincial Lower House, where despite his differences with Governor Kirchner, he voted in favor of allowing the governor to manage the province's growing oil and gas royalties on an off-budget
basis. He later returned to Buenos Aires
as Vice-President of the National Airports Regulatory Agency (ORSNA).
Puricelli joined the center-left Alliance
, at the time the main party in opposition. Still at ORSNA when he switched paries in 1999, this gambit resulted in his dismissal, as well as in his being expelled from the Justicialist Party. He ran as a candidate for governor in that year's elections, and was again defeated by Kirchner.
Following the collapse of the Alliance government at the end of 2001, however, Puricelli returned to the Justicialist fold as Secretary of Provincial Affairs for President Eduardo Duhalde
. This relationship, too, soured when Duhalde announced his endorsement of Governor Kirchner for presidential elections held in 2003
, and Puricelli resigned his post. He ran unsuccessfully for Congress, and retired to his ranch in scenic Los Antiguos
, where he raised sheep and cultivated cherry
orchards.
Declaring himself to harbor "irreconcilable differences" with Kirchner, who became president, Puricelli would become Kirchner's surprise pick to head the state-owned Fabricaciones Militares, the nation's largest defense contractor
, in 2006. Following the designation of Defense Minister Nilda Garré
at the head of the powerful new Ministry of Security, Puricelli was appointed to replace her on December 15, 2010.
Ministry of Defense (Argentina)
The Ministry of Defense of Argentina is a ministry of the national executive power that deals with everything related to the country national defense...
.
Life and times
Arturo Antonio Puricelli was born in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina, in 1948. He enrolled at the National University of the LittoralNational University of the Littoral
The National University of the Littoral is a university in Argentina. It is based in Santa Fe, the capital of the province of the same name, and it has colleges and other academic facilities in Esperanza, Reconquista and Gálvez, also in Santa Fe Province.-History:The original institution was...
, and became affiliated with the populist Justicialist Party
Justicialist Party
The Justicialist Party , or PJ, is a Peronist political party in Argentina, and the largest component of the Peronist movement.The party was led by Néstor Kirchner, President of Argentina from 2003 to 2007, until his death on October 27, 2010. The current Argentine president, Cristina Fernández de...
. Earning a Law Degree
Law degree
A Law degree is an academic degree conferred for studies in law. Such degrees are generally preparation for legal careers; but while their curricula may be reviewed by legal authority, they do not themselves confer a license...
in 1973, he returned to Santa Cruz, was named Inspector General
Inspector General
An Inspector General is an investigative official in a civil or military organization. The plural of the term is Inspectors General.-Bangladesh:...
of the Provincial Justice Ministry, and in 1975, was appointed Minister of Social Policy.
He started a private law practice, Puricelli & Associates, after the March 1976 coup, when nearly all elected officials were removed. The distatorship ultimately called for elections in 1983
Argentine general election, 1983
The Argentine general election of 1983 was held on 30 October and marked the return of Democracy after the 1976's dictatorship self-known as National Reorganization Process...
, and Puricelli secured his party's nomination as a candidate for governor of Santa Cruz. The victorious Puricelli was among the youngest and, with 56 % of the vote, the third-most decisively elected governor that year.
His rival in the primaries, a young banking attorney, Néstor Kirchner
Néstor Kirchner
Néstor Carlos Kirchner was an Argentine politician who served as the 54th President of Argentina from 25 May 2003 until 10 December 2007. Previously, he was Governor of Santa Cruz Province since 10 December 1991. He briefly served as Secretary General of the Union of South American Nations ...
, was appointed head of the Provincial Social Security Fund by the new governor. Puricelli hoped this might earn his fledgling administration greater backing from Kirchner's supporters, but the move backfired when in April 1984, the latter refused the governor's request for borrowing from the fund to cover the provincial deficit. As governor, Puricelli pursued a greater share of the hundreds of millions of dollars in fossil fuel
Fossil fuel
Fossil fuels are fuels formed by natural processes such as anaerobic decomposition of buried dead organisms. The age of the organisms and their resulting fossil fuels is typically millions of years, and sometimes exceeds 650 million years...
royalties
Royalties
Royalties are usage-based payments made by one party to another for the right to ongoing use of an asset, sometimes an intellectual property...
generated largely by the then-state owned oil concern, YPF, and sued the federal government to that effect. He also strove to diversify his remote province's economy, and established the resort town of El Chaltén
El Chaltén
El Chaltén is a small mountain village in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina. It is located in the riverside of Río de las Vueltas, within the Los Glaciares National Park at the base of Cerro Torre and Cerro Fitz Roy mountains, both popular for climbing...
by way of promoting tourism
Tourism in Argentina
Tourism in Argentina is favored by its ample and varied natural assets and by its cultural offerings. The country is lucky to have everything a tourist would ask for...
.
Constitutionally barred from seeking re-election upon the end of his term in 1987, Puricelli was elected President of the Santa Cruz chapter of the Justicialist Party. He supported veteran party figure Antonio Cafiero
Antonio Cafiero
Antonio Francisco Cafiero is an Argentine Justicialist Party politician.-Biography:Cafiero was born in Buenos Aires. He joined Catholic Action in 1938, and enrolled at the University of Buenos Aires, becoming President of the Students' Association...
, who had just been elected Governor of Buenos Aires Province
Buenos Aires Province
The Province of Buenos Aires is the largest and most populous province of Argentina. It takes the name from the city of Buenos Aires, which used to be the provincial capital until it was federalized in 1880...
, as his party's nominee ahead of the 1989 presidential elections
Argentine general election, 1989
The Argentine general election of 1989 was held on 14 May. Voters chose both the President and their legislators and with a turnout of 85.3%, it produced the following results:-President:aAbstentions.-Argentine Congress:...
, and obtained the support of numerous Santa Cruz Justicialists, including Kirchner, for Cafiero's Renewal Front ticket. The support of the new governor, Ricardo del Val, for a dark horse candidate, La Rioja
La Rioja Province (Argentina)
La Rioja is a one of the provinces of Argentina and is located in the west of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the north clockwise Catamarca, Córdoba, San Luis and San Juan.-History:...
Governor Carlos Menem
Carlos Menem
Carlos Saúl Menem is an Argentine politician who was President of Argentina from 1989 to 1999. He is currently an Argentine National Senator for La Rioja Province.-Early life:...
, proved decisive, however, and Menem won 80% of the Santa Cruz vote during the 1988 primary. He became the Justicialist nominee, and was elected president the following year.
Puricelli was elected to the Argentine Chamber of Deputies
Argentine Chamber of Deputies
The Chamber of Deputies is the lower house of the Argentine National Congress. This Chamber holds exclusive rights to create taxes, to draft troops, and to accuse the President, the ministers and the members of the Supreme Court before the Senate....
during the same elections. He ran again for governor in 1991
Argentine legislative election, 1991
The Argentine legislative elections of 1991 were held between August and December, though most polls took place on 8 September. Voters chose their legislators and governors and, with a turnout of 79.9%, it produced the following results:-Argentine Congress:...
, but was defeated in the primaries by Kirchner, who at the time enjoyed President Menem's support. Having refused to campaign for Menem during the general election, Puricelli adopted a more pragmatic stance towards the president during the latter's 1989-99 administration, and in 1996, he was named head of the state postal service, Encotesa; Puricelli served in a caretaker capacity ahead of the postal carrier's 1997 privatization.
He returned to Santa Cruz and in 1997 was elected to the Provincial Lower House, where despite his differences with Governor Kirchner, he voted in favor of allowing the governor to manage the province's growing oil and gas royalties on an off-budget
Off-budget enterprise
Off-budget enterprises are a type of government in the United States, the UK and the EU. OBEs use public funds to further public or private interests...
basis. He later returned to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
as Vice-President of the National Airports Regulatory Agency (ORSNA).
Puricelli joined the center-left Alliance
Alliance for Work, Justice and Education
The Alliance for Work, Justice and Education was a party coalition in Argentina around the turn of the third millennium...
, at the time the main party in opposition. Still at ORSNA when he switched paries in 1999, this gambit resulted in his dismissal, as well as in his being expelled from the Justicialist Party. He ran as a candidate for governor in that year's elections, and was again defeated by Kirchner.
Following the collapse of the Alliance government at the end of 2001, however, Puricelli returned to the Justicialist fold as Secretary of Provincial Affairs for President Eduardo Duhalde
Eduardo Duhalde
-External links:...
. This relationship, too, soured when Duhalde announced his endorsement of Governor Kirchner for presidential elections held in 2003
Argentine general election, 2003
Argentina held presidential and parliamentary elections on Sunday, April 27, 2003. Turnout was 78.2% and the results were as follows:-Argentine Congress:-Background:...
, and Puricelli resigned his post. He ran unsuccessfully for Congress, and retired to his ranch in scenic Los Antiguos
Los Antiguos
Los Antiguos is a town in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina, located on the south shore of Lago Buenos Aires. It lies 2 km from the border with Chile, and 8 km from the Chilean town of Chile Chico. It is connected to Perito Moreno and Caleta Olivia on the Atlantic coast by a paved road.The...
, where he raised sheep and cultivated cherry
Cherry
The cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus Prunus, and is a fleshy stone fruit. The cherry fruits of commerce are usually obtained from a limited number of species, including especially cultivars of the wild cherry, Prunus avium....
orchards.
Declaring himself to harbor "irreconcilable differences" with Kirchner, who became president, Puricelli would become Kirchner's surprise pick to head the state-owned Fabricaciones Militares, the nation's largest defense contractor
Defense contractor
A defense contractor is a business organization or individual that provides products or services to a military department of a government. Products typically include military aircraft, ships, vehicles, weaponry, and electronic systems...
, in 2006. Following the designation of Defense Minister Nilda Garré
Nilda Garré
Nilda Garré , a former leftist militant, is the current Minister of Security of Argentina, and the former Minister of Defense since 2005. She was the first woman to hold each office in the country.- Career :...
at the head of the powerful new Ministry of Security, Puricelli was appointed to replace her on December 15, 2010.