Gerardo Morales (Argentine politician)
Encyclopedia
Gerardo Rubén Morales is an Argentine
politician, leader of the Radical Civic Union
(UCR). He is a member of the Argentine Senate
representing Jujuy Province
, elected for the Front of Jujuy
. He was a candidate for Vice President of Argentina on Roberto Lavagna
's UNA ticket in the 2007 elections
.
. He worked on the Ferrocarril General Manuel Belgrano
railway as a waiter at age 18, and was promoted to the post of administrator. He enrolled at the National University of Jujuy
, where he earned a degree in Accountancy
. Morales was later appointed Director of Liquidations at the Provincial Insurance Institute. He also lectured and was politically active at university, teaching in Political Economy
courses from 1985 to 1993. He married in 1985, and had three children; he admitted to past infidelities in a 2008 interview.
In 1989 Morales was elected as a provincial deputy and in 1993 became leader of the UCR block in the legislature. He served as president of the Finance Committee in 1991 and 1992. He was nominated for Vice Governor of Jujuy in a defeated 1991 UCR ticket, and with the support of party leader Raúl Alfonsín
, ran for Governor of Jujuy in 1995 and 1999, albeit unsuccessfully. He stepped down as a Jujuy Congressman in 2000 to join the national government of President Fernando de la Rúa
as Secretary for Social Development. Morales was elected to the Argentine Senate
in 2001 mid-term elections
.
After the election of Néstor Kirchner
as President of Argentina
in 2003, many leading Radicals publicly supported Kirchner's populist left-wing agenda. The group, known as Radicales K, included provincial governors and national legislators. The national president of the Radicals, Roberto Iglesias
took a hard-line approach against Kirchner, however, opposing efforts to re-align UCR elected officials toward the popular Kirchner. Morales, who supported Iglesias' policy, was re-elected to the Senate in 2005.
Iglesias led negotiations to find a suitable candidate for the UCR to back in the 2007 Presidential elections against Kirchner's wife and FpV
nominee, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner
. Roberto Lavagna
, a former minister under Kirchner who subsequently opposed his policies, appeared to be the favored candidate for the majority of the party. Iglesias resigned the presidency of the party in November 2006, however, due to differences with Lavagna, having reached the conclusion that an alliance with him would be a mistake, and joined those who maintained that the party should look for its own candidate (the so-called Radicales R).
The UCR National Committee appointed Morales as its new president in December 2006. Morales supported the party's Rosario
convention, in which Alfonsín's call for an alliance with Lavagna was adopted into the party platform
. He became Lavagna's running mate in the presidential election of October 2007
, on a centrist electoral front known as "An Advanced Nation" ('UNA'), and placed third.
Morales entered subsequently into a heated political dispute with Milagro Sala
, the leader of the Indigenist
Tupac Amaru Neighborhood Association. He was attacked in 2009, though without injury, by two youths tied to the association, and filed charges against their leader. Sala, who denied involvement, alleged that the accusations were politically and racially motivated. She responded with demands that Morales' estate be investigated, and each exchanged accusations of corruption
.
Morales was elected leader of the UCR Caucus in the Senate in December 2009; he succeeded Ernesto Sanz
, who replaced Morales as President of the party's National Committee.
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
politician, leader of the Radical Civic Union
Radical Civic Union
The Radical Civic Union is a political party in Argentina. The party's positions on issues range from liberal to social democratic. The UCR is a member of the Socialist International. Founded in 1891 by radical liberals, it is the oldest political party active in Argentina...
(UCR). He is a member of the Argentine Senate
Argentine Senate
The Argentine Senate is the upper house of the Argentine National Congress. It has 72 senators: three for each province and three for the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires...
representing Jujuy Province
Jujuy Province
Jujuy is a province of Argentina, located in the extreme northwest of the country, at the borders with Chile and Bolivia. The only neighboring Argentine province is Salta to the east and south.-History:...
, elected for the Front of Jujuy
Front of Jujuy
The Front of Jujuy is a provincial political front in Jujuy Province, Argentina, principally made up of members of the Radical Civic Union, the Intransigent Party and smaller provincial parties....
. He was a candidate for Vice President of Argentina on Roberto Lavagna
Roberto Lavagna
Roberto Lavagna is an Argentine economist and politician, and was the former Minister of Economy and Production of Argentina from April 27, 2002, to November 28, 2005.-Career:...
's UNA ticket in the 2007 elections
Argentine general election, 2007
Argentina held national presidential and legislative elections on October 28, 2007, and elections for provincial governors took place on staggered dates throughout the year. For the national elections, each of the 23 provinces and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires are considered electoral districts...
.
Biography
Morales was born in Jujuy ProvinceJujuy Province
Jujuy is a province of Argentina, located in the extreme northwest of the country, at the borders with Chile and Bolivia. The only neighboring Argentine province is Salta to the east and south.-History:...
. He worked on the Ferrocarril General Manuel Belgrano
Ferrocarril General Manuel Belgrano
Ferrocarril General Manuel Belgrano , named after the Argentine politician and military leader Manuel Belgrano, was one of the six state-owned Argentine railway companies formed after President Juan Perón's nationalisation of the railway network in 1948...
railway as a waiter at age 18, and was promoted to the post of administrator. He enrolled at the National University of Jujuy
National University of Jujuy
The National University of Jujuy is an Argentine national university, situated in the city of San Salvador de Jujuy, capital of Jujuy Province....
, where he earned a degree in Accountancy
Accountancy
Accountancy is the process of communicating financial information about a business entity to users such as shareholders and managers. The communication is generally in the form of financial statements that show in money terms the economic resources under the control of management; the art lies in...
. Morales was later appointed Director of Liquidations at the Provincial Insurance Institute. He also lectured and was politically active at university, teaching in Political Economy
Political economy
Political economy originally was the term for studying production, buying, and selling, and their relations with law, custom, and government, as well as with the distribution of national income and wealth, including through the budget process. Political economy originated in moral philosophy...
courses from 1985 to 1993. He married in 1985, and had three children; he admitted to past infidelities in a 2008 interview.
In 1989 Morales was elected as a provincial deputy and in 1993 became leader of the UCR block in the legislature. He served as president of the Finance Committee in 1991 and 1992. He was nominated for Vice Governor of Jujuy in a defeated 1991 UCR ticket, and with the support of party leader Raúl Alfonsín
Raúl Alfonsín
Raúl Ricardo Alfonsín was an Argentine lawyer, politician and statesman, who served as the President of Argentina from December 10, 1983, to July 8, 1989. Alfonsín was the first democratically-elected president of Argentina following the military government known as the National Reorganization...
, ran for Governor of Jujuy in 1995 and 1999, albeit unsuccessfully. He stepped down as a Jujuy Congressman in 2000 to join the national government of President Fernando de la Rúa
Fernando de la Rúa
Fernando de la Rúa is an Argentine politician. He was president of the country from December 10, 1999 to December 21, 2001 for the Alliance for Work, Justice and Education ....
as Secretary for Social Development. Morales was elected to the Argentine Senate
Argentine Senate
The Argentine Senate is the upper house of the Argentine National Congress. It has 72 senators: three for each province and three for the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires...
in 2001 mid-term elections
Argentine legislative election, 2001
Argentina held national parliamentary elections on Sunday, 14 October 2001. Turnout was 75.6% and the results were as follows:-Chamber of Deputies:-Senate:-Background:...
.
After the election of 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 ...
as President of Argentina
President of Argentina
The President of the Argentine Nation , usually known as the President of Argentina, is the head of state of Argentina. Under the national Constitution, the President is also the chief executive of the federal government and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.Through Argentine history, the...
in 2003, many leading Radicals publicly supported Kirchner's populist left-wing agenda. The group, known as Radicales K, included provincial governors and national legislators. The national president of the Radicals, Roberto Iglesias
Roberto Iglesias
Roberto Raúl Iglesias is an Argentine Radical Civic Union politician, a former leader of the party and formerly a deputy and governor of Mendoza Province....
took a hard-line approach against Kirchner, however, opposing efforts to re-align UCR elected officials toward the popular Kirchner. Morales, who supported Iglesias' policy, was re-elected to the Senate in 2005.
Iglesias led negotiations to find a suitable candidate for the UCR to back in the 2007 Presidential elections against Kirchner's wife and FpV
Front for Victory
The Front for Victory is a Peronist political party and electoral alliance in Argentina, although it is formally a faction of the Justicialist Party. Both the former President Néstor Kirchner and the current President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner belong to this party, located on the left-wing...
nominee, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner
Cristina Fernández de Kirchner
Cristina Elisabet Fernández de Kirchner , commonly known as Cristina Fernández or Cristina Kirchner is the 55th and current President of Argentina and the widow of former President Néstor Kirchner. She is Argentina's first elected female president, and the second female president ever to serve...
. Roberto Lavagna
Roberto Lavagna
Roberto Lavagna is an Argentine economist and politician, and was the former Minister of Economy and Production of Argentina from April 27, 2002, to November 28, 2005.-Career:...
, a former minister under Kirchner who subsequently opposed his policies, appeared to be the favored candidate for the majority of the party. Iglesias resigned the presidency of the party in November 2006, however, due to differences with Lavagna, having reached the conclusion that an alliance with him would be a mistake, and joined those who maintained that the party should look for its own candidate (the so-called Radicales R).
The UCR National Committee appointed Morales as its new president in December 2006. Morales supported the party's Rosario
Rosario
Rosario is the largest city in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It is located northwest of Buenos Aires, on the western shore of the Paraná River and has 1,159,004 residents as of the ....
convention, in which Alfonsín's call for an alliance with Lavagna was adopted into the party platform
Party platform
A party platform, or platform sometimes also referred to as a manifesto, is a list of the actions which a political party, individual candidate, or other organization supports in order to appeal to the general public for the purpose of having said peoples' candidates voted into political office or...
. He became Lavagna's running mate in the presidential election of October 2007
Argentine general election, 2007
Argentina held national presidential and legislative elections on October 28, 2007, and elections for provincial governors took place on staggered dates throughout the year. For the national elections, each of the 23 provinces and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires are considered electoral districts...
, on a centrist electoral front known as "An Advanced Nation" ('UNA'), and placed third.
Morales entered subsequently into a heated political dispute with Milagro Sala
Milagro Sala
Milagro Sala is a leader of the Tupac Amaru neighborhood association, part of the Association of State Workers of Jujuy, and a leading figure in the Movimiento piquetero of Argentina.-Early life:...
, the leader of the Indigenist
Indigenism
Indigenism, Native nationalism, or Indigenous nationalism is a kind of ethnic nationalism emphasizing the group's indigeneity to their homeland...
Tupac Amaru Neighborhood Association. He was attacked in 2009, though without injury, by two youths tied to the association, and filed charges against their leader. Sala, who denied involvement, alleged that the accusations were politically and racially motivated. She responded with demands that Morales' estate be investigated, and each exchanged accusations of corruption
Corruption
Corruption usually refers to spiritual or moral impurity.Corruption may also refer to:* Corruption , an American crime film* Corruption , a British horror film...
.
Morales was elected leader of the UCR Caucus in the Senate in December 2009; he succeeded Ernesto Sanz
Ernesto Sanz
Ernesto Sanz , is an Argentine Radical Civic Union politician. He serves in the Argentine Senate representing Mendoza Province....
, who replaced Morales as President of the party's National Committee.