Julián Domínguez
Encyclopedia
Julián Andrés Domínguez (born in 1963) is an Argentine politician, and currently the President's Minister of Agriculture.
town of Chacabuco
, located in the heart of the Pampas and the Argentine maize
belt. He enrolled at the University of Buenos Aires
, where he earned a law degree, and first entered public service in 1989 as head of the board of advisors of the Buenos Aires Province Social Security Institute. He later joined the national Ministry of Health under President Carlos Menem
as chief youth policy advisor, and in 1993, was named chief policy advisor to Interior Minister (Home Secretary
) Carlos Ruckauf
.
He returned to Chacabuco in 1994 and was elected Mayor the following year on the ruling Justicialist Party
(Peronist) ticket. Domínguez was elected to the Lower House of Congress
in 1999, but forfeited his seat following an offer for the post of provincial Public Works Minister by Ruckauf, who had been elected Governor of Buenos Aires. He was influential in the governor's 2001 decision to rescind the province's water service concession granted several years earlier to Azurix, a local Enron
subsidiary. The precipitous resignation of President Fernando de la Rúa
at the end of 2001 and his eventual replacement by a leading Peronist figure, Eduardo Duhalde
, brought Domínguez to the Casa Rosada
as the President's Assistant Chief of Staff. He served mainly in a parliamentary liaison capacity in this post, and the election of Néstor Kirchner
to the Presidency in 2003 took Domínguez to an important Defense Ministry post, where he served as liaison between the Argentine Military and the remaining, civilian arms of the Argentine Government.
He was elected to the Buenos Aires Province Legislature in 2003, and his work with Ruckauf and Duhalde, both former governors who still wielded influence in the provincial capital, helped result in Domínguez's prompt election as the body's Justicialist Party caucus Whip
. In the legislature, he became prominent in the Judiciary Committee, becoming its Chairman and the Vice President of the Lower House itself following his reelection in 2007.
Fallout from the 2008 Argentine government conflict with the agricultural sector
over a proposed rise in export tariffs led to a number of changes in the executive branch, including the creation that year of a Production Ministry
and, on September 30, 2009, the reinstatement of the Agriculture Secretariat as a (cabinet-level) ministry, a prominence the post had not enjoyed since 1981. Supported by Presidential Chief of Staff Aníbal Fernández
, Domínguez was tapped for the post and sworn in on October 1. Pending, however, remain improvements in strained relations between the center-left administration of President Cristina Kirchner and (among others) nation's important agrarian sector
, whose leading figures approved of her decision to reinstate the Agriculture Ministry, but expressed skepticism at the appointment to the post of a legislator with no farming experience, and who had recently supported a hike in provincial farm income taxes.
Life and times
Domínguez was born in the Buenos Aires ProvinceBuenos 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...
town of Chacabuco
Chacabuco, Buenos Aires
Chacabuco is a city in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. It is the head town of the Chacabuco Partido and has a population of 34,958 inhabitants...
, located in the heart of the Pampas and the Argentine maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
belt. He enrolled at the University of Buenos Aires
University of Buenos Aires
The University of Buenos Aires is the largest university in Argentina and the largest university by enrollment in Latin America. Founded on August 12, 1821 in the city of Buenos Aires, it consists of 13 faculties, 6 hospitals, 10 museums and is linked to 4 high schools: Colegio Nacional de Buenos...
, where he earned a law degree, and first entered public service in 1989 as head of the board of advisors of the Buenos Aires Province Social Security Institute. He later joined the national Ministry of Health under President 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:...
as chief youth policy advisor, and in 1993, was named chief policy advisor to Interior Minister (Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
) Carlos Ruckauf
Carlos Ruckauf
Carlos Federico Ruckauf is a Peronist politician in Argentina, member of the Justicialist Party.-Biography:Carlos Federico Ruckauf was born in the western Buenos Aires suburb of Ramos Mejía. His parents separated when he was seven, and he lived in Mar del Plata, Salta, and Buenos Aires during the...
.
He returned to Chacabuco in 1994 and was elected Mayor the following year on the ruling 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...
(Peronist) ticket. Domínguez was elected to the Lower House of Congress
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....
in 1999, but forfeited his seat following an offer for the post of provincial Public Works Minister by Ruckauf, who had been elected Governor of Buenos Aires. He was influential in the governor's 2001 decision to rescind the province's water service concession granted several years earlier to Azurix, a local Enron
Enron
Enron Corporation was an American energy, commodities, and services company based in Houston, Texas. Before its bankruptcy on December 2, 2001, Enron employed approximately 22,000 staff and was one of the world's leading electricity, natural gas, communications, and pulp and paper companies, with...
subsidiary. The precipitous resignation 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 ....
at the end of 2001 and his eventual replacement by a leading Peronist figure, Eduardo Duhalde
Eduardo Duhalde
-External links:...
, brought Domínguez to the Casa Rosada
Casa Rosada
La Casa Rosada is the official seat of the executive branch of the government of Argentina, and of the offices of the President. The President normally lives at the Quinta de Olivos, a compound in Olivos, Buenos Aires Province. Its characteristic color is pink, and is considered one of the most...
as the President's Assistant Chief of Staff. He served mainly in a parliamentary liaison capacity in this post, and 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 ...
to the Presidency in 2003 took Domínguez to an important Defense Ministry post, where he served as liaison between the Argentine Military and the remaining, civilian arms of the Argentine Government.
He was elected to the Buenos Aires Province Legislature in 2003, and his work with Ruckauf and Duhalde, both former governors who still wielded influence in the provincial capital, helped result in Domínguez's prompt election as the body's Justicialist Party caucus Whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
. In the legislature, he became prominent in the Judiciary Committee, becoming its Chairman and the Vice President of the Lower House itself following his reelection in 2007.
Fallout from the 2008 Argentine government conflict with the agricultural sector
2008 Argentine government conflict with the agricultural sector
The 2008 Argentine government conflict with the agricultural sector started in March 2008, which then extended into a prolonged period of turbulent politics...
over a proposed rise in export tariffs led to a number of changes in the executive branch, including the creation that year of a Production Ministry
Débora Giorgi
Débora Giorgi is an Argentine economist, currently the nation's Minister of Industry.-Career:Giorgi was born in Balvanera, Buenos Aires in 1959 and graduated with honors from the Argentine Catholic University with a degree in Economics, later publishing numerous academic articles in her specialty...
and, on September 30, 2009, the reinstatement of the Agriculture Secretariat as a (cabinet-level) ministry, a prominence the post had not enjoyed since 1981. Supported by Presidential Chief of Staff Aníbal Fernández
Aníbal Fernández
Aníbal Domingo Fernández is an Argentine Justicialist Party politician, who served as Interior Minister for President Néstor Kirchner, Minister of Justice for President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and is currently the President's Cabinet Chief.-Biography:Born in Quilmes, Buenos Aires Province,...
, Domínguez was tapped for the post and sworn in on October 1. Pending, however, remain improvements in strained relations between the center-left administration of President Cristina Kirchner and (among others) nation's important agrarian sector
Agriculture in Argentina
Agriculture is one of the bases of Argentina's economy.Argentine agriculture is relatively capital intensive, today providing about 7% of all employment, and, even during its period of dominance around 1900, accounting for no more than a third of all labor. Having accounted for nearly 20% of GDP as...
, whose leading figures approved of her decision to reinstate the Agriculture Ministry, but expressed skepticism at the appointment to the post of a legislator with no farming experience, and who had recently supported a hike in provincial farm income taxes.