Cayo Lara
Encyclopedia
Cayo Lara Moya is a Spanish politician. He has been the leader of United Left
(IU) since December 2008. He is also a member of the leadership of the Communist Party of Spain.
in Ciudad Real Province, Lara, the son of a truck driver, has spent most of his life there. At the age of 13 he abandoned his studies to help his family's economy having several jobs, until returning from his military service where he established his own farm. By the late 1970s he was one of the main leaders of the Farmers' Unions in his province and joined the Communist Party of Spain. With the restoration of democracy in Spain he was elected a member of the executive committee of the Coordination of Farmers Organisations (COAG).
In 1987, Lara was elected Mayor of Argamasilla de Alba, remaining in that position until 1999. In 2000 he was appointed as General Coordinator of IU in Castile-La Mancha
. He was a candidate for the Presidency of that community in the 2007 Regional elections, failing to win a seat in the Community's parliament. At that time he was known for his defence of the Mayor of Seseña
in Toledo
and Party colleague Manuel Fuentes against building enterpeur Francisco Hernando, el Pocero, for the alleged corruption charges in that municipality.
, the previous General Coordinator, Gaspar Llamazares, resigned. IU, with its alliance with the Catalan Initiative for Catalonia Greens
had lost three of their five seats in those elections.
Subsequently three factions emerged prior to the 9th Federal Assembly of IU. One around the leadership and the majority of the membership of the Communist Party of Spain, one formed by the membership closer to the positions of Gaspar Llamazares and a third one formed by the leaderships of Madrid, Aragon and Catalonia (with the Communist Party of Catalonia being prominent) was called the N-II (after the road that joins these territories). Lara, a member of the first group, and considered a moderate communist by the press , was chosen in October 2008 by the Federal Committee of PCE as the party's candidate to lead the list for the leadership election in the subsequent assembly along with several other internal allies.
The 9th Assembly, held on 14 and 15 November 2008, ended with five lists contending: that of the PCE and its allies, led by Lara; that of Llamazares' followers, led by Inés Sabanés IU's spokeswoman in the Madrid Assembly
; that of the so called N-II led by IU's Senator
Joan Josep Nuet; one formed around discontented members of PCE's and Sabenés' groups, led by the 25 year old Haizea Miguela; and one formed by an Andalusian minority and led by the Mayor of Marinaleda and Andalusian MP
, Juan Manuel Sánchez Gordillo. The list led by Lara obtained 43% of the votes, the list led by Sabanés 27%, the list led by Nuet 19%, and the lists led by Miguela and Gordillo 6% and 5% respectively. The outcoming Federal Political Council of IU, unable to elect a candidate with an outright majority, chose Lara as the chair of a committee meant to prepare the next meeting of the council.
The Federal Political Council held on 14 December saw Lara achieve 65% support and he was thus appointed General Coordinator. Since then Lara has opted for vocal opposition to the measures taken by the Spanish Government to contrast the effects of the economic crisis.
United Left (Spain)
The United Left is a political coalition that was organized in 1986 bringing together several political organisations opposed to Spain joining NATO. It was formed by a number of groups of leftists, greens, left-wing socialists and republicans, but was dominated by the Communist Party of Spain...
(IU) since December 2008. He is also a member of the leadership of the Communist Party of Spain.
Early Years and Regional Leadership
Born at Argamasilla de AlbaArgamasilla de Alba
Argamasilla de Alba is a municipality in Ciudad Real , Castile-La Mancha, Spain. It has a population of 6,791.Cervantes was held prisoner here and refers to the place in the prologue to Don Quixote....
in Ciudad Real Province, Lara, the son of a truck driver, has spent most of his life there. At the age of 13 he abandoned his studies to help his family's economy having several jobs, until returning from his military service where he established his own farm. By the late 1970s he was one of the main leaders of the Farmers' Unions in his province and joined the Communist Party of Spain. With the restoration of democracy in Spain he was elected a member of the executive committee of the Coordination of Farmers Organisations (COAG).
In 1987, Lara was elected Mayor of Argamasilla de Alba, remaining in that position until 1999. In 2000 he was appointed as General Coordinator of IU in Castile-La Mancha
Castile-La Mancha
Castile-La Mancha is an autonomous community of Spain. Castile-La Mancha is bordered by Castile and León, Madrid, Aragon, Valencia, Murcia, Andalusia, and Extremadura. It is one of the most sparsely populated of Spain's autonomous communities...
. He was a candidate for the Presidency of that community in the 2007 Regional elections, failing to win a seat in the Community's parliament. At that time he was known for his defence of the Mayor of Seseña
Seseña
Seseña is a municipality located in the province of Toledo, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. According to the 2009 census , the municipality had a population of 16,231.-Residencial Francisco Hernando:...
in Toledo
Toledo (province)
Toledo is a province of central Spain, in the western part of the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. It is bordered by the provinces of Madrid, Cuenca, Ciudad Real, Badajoz, Cáceres, and Ávila....
and Party colleague Manuel Fuentes against building enterpeur Francisco Hernando, el Pocero, for the alleged corruption charges in that municipality.
National leadership
In the wake of IU's poor results in the 2008 Spanish general electionSpanish general election, 2008
Legislative elections for the Spanish Cortes Generales were held on March 9, 2008. The elections were for 350 seats in the Congress of Deputies, and the 208 directly elected seats in the upper house, the Senate, determining the Prime Minister of Spain...
, the previous General Coordinator, Gaspar Llamazares, resigned. IU, with its alliance with the Catalan Initiative for Catalonia Greens
Initiative for Catalonia Greens
Initiative for Catalonia Greens is a political party in Catalonia, Spain. It was formed as a merger of Iniciativa per Catalunya and Els Verds. IC had been an alliance led by Partit Socialista Unificat de Catalunya and was the equivalent of Izquierda Unida in Catalonia...
had lost three of their five seats in those elections.
Subsequently three factions emerged prior to the 9th Federal Assembly of IU. One around the leadership and the majority of the membership of the Communist Party of Spain, one formed by the membership closer to the positions of Gaspar Llamazares and a third one formed by the leaderships of Madrid, Aragon and Catalonia (with the Communist Party of Catalonia being prominent) was called the N-II (after the road that joins these territories). Lara, a member of the first group, and considered a moderate communist by the press , was chosen in October 2008 by the Federal Committee of PCE as the party's candidate to lead the list for the leadership election in the subsequent assembly along with several other internal allies.
The 9th Assembly, held on 14 and 15 November 2008, ended with five lists contending: that of the PCE and its allies, led by Lara; that of Llamazares' followers, led by Inés Sabanés IU's spokeswoman in the Madrid Assembly
Madrid Assembly
The Madrid Assembly is the unicameral regional legislature of the Autonomous Community of Madrid since the approval of the Madrid Charter of Autonomy in 1983....
; that of the so called N-II led by IU's Senator
Spanish Senate
The Senate of Spain is the upper house of Spain's parliament, the . It is made up of 264 members: 208 elected by popular vote, and 56 appointed by the regional legislatures. All senators serve four-year terms, though regional legislatures may recall their appointees at any time.The last election...
Joan Josep Nuet; one formed around discontented members of PCE's and Sabenés' groups, led by the 25 year old Haizea Miguela; and one formed by an Andalusian minority and led by the Mayor of Marinaleda and Andalusian MP
Parliament of Andalusia
The Andalusian Parliament is the legislature of the Spanish Autonomous Community of Andalusia instituted by the Andalusian Charter of Autonomy of 1981. It is elected by the residents in Andalusia every four years...
, Juan Manuel Sánchez Gordillo. The list led by Lara obtained 43% of the votes, the list led by Sabanés 27%, the list led by Nuet 19%, and the lists led by Miguela and Gordillo 6% and 5% respectively. The outcoming Federal Political Council of IU, unable to elect a candidate with an outright majority, chose Lara as the chair of a committee meant to prepare the next meeting of the council.
The Federal Political Council held on 14 December saw Lara achieve 65% support and he was thus appointed General Coordinator. Since then Lara has opted for vocal opposition to the measures taken by the Spanish Government to contrast the effects of the economic crisis.