Miguel Ángel Pichetto
Encyclopedia
Miguel Ángel Pichetto is an Argentine
Justicialist Party
politician. He is a Senator
for Río Negro Province
and leads his party in the Senate. He was the defeated candidate to be governor of Río Negro in the 2007 elections.
Pichetto was born in Banfield
, Buenos Aires Province
and studied at the Universidad Nacional de La Plata
. In 1976 he qualified as a lawyer and based himself in Río Negro. In 1983 he was elected a councillor in the city of Sierra Grande and in 1985 became Mayor of the city, serving until 1987. He also took leading roles in the provincial Justicialist Party.
In 1988 Pichetto was elected to the provincial assembly and was re-elected in 1991. In 1993 he was elected to the Argentine Chamber of Deputies
and was vice-President of the Justicialist block in the house from 1997. Throughout his career he was a "disciplined" party man, including the 1990s period, when he advocated the party line as led by Carlos Menem
. He took a leading role on legal, justice and penal matters and was appointed to the Council of Magistrates of the Nation
, the senior justice advisory body, in 1998, re-elected in 2001. He sat on the committees on prosecution, the appointment of judges and judicial school, and latterly chaired the disciplinary committee and served on the administration and finance committee.
Pichetto was elected a senator in 2001, his term ending in 2007. In December 2002 he was elected President of the PJ block in the Senate. He is part of the Front for Victory
faction in support of President
Cristina Fernández de Kirchner
.
Pichetto campaigned to be governor of Río Negro province in the 2007 elections. There was some doubt as to whether Kirchner would support fellow Peronist Pichetto or the incumbent Radical
governor, Miguel Saiz
, who was a leading supporter of Kirchner from (the opposition) Radical ranks. Eventually Kirchner kept out of the provincial elections, and Pichetto lost to Saiz. Pichetto was returned to the Senate.
He is married with two children.
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...
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...
politician. He is a Senator
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...
for Río Negro Province
Río Negro Province
Río Negro is a province of Argentina, located at the northern edge of Patagonia. Neighboring provinces are from the south clockwise Chubut, Neuquén, Mendoza, La Pampa and Buenos Aires. To the east lies the Atlantic Ocean.Its capital is Viedma...
and leads his party in the Senate. He was the defeated candidate to be governor of Río Negro in the 2007 elections.
Pichetto was born in Banfield
Banfield (village)
Banfield is a city in the Lomas de Zamora Partido of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, south of the centre of Buenos Aires. It forms part of the Greater Buenos Aires metro area.-History:thumb|left|100px|Edward Banfield...
, 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...
and studied at the Universidad Nacional de La Plata
Universidad Nacional de La Plata
The National University of La Plata is one of the most important Argentine national universities and the biggest one situated in the city of La Plata, capital of Buenos Aires Province...
. In 1976 he qualified as a lawyer and based himself in Río Negro. In 1983 he was elected a councillor in the city of Sierra Grande and in 1985 became Mayor of the city, serving until 1987. He also took leading roles in the provincial Justicialist Party.
In 1988 Pichetto was elected to the provincial assembly and was re-elected in 1991. In 1993 he 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....
and was vice-President of the Justicialist block in the house from 1997. Throughout his career he was a "disciplined" party man, including the 1990s period, when he advocated the party line as led by 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:...
. He took a leading role on legal, justice and penal matters and was appointed to the Council of Magistrates of the Nation
Council of Magistrates of the Nation
The Council of Magistrates of the Nation is an organ of the Judicial Branch of the Government of Argentina. It is in charge of appointing judges, of presenting charges against them to an Accusation Jury, and of suspending or deposing them....
, the senior justice advisory body, in 1998, re-elected in 2001. He sat on the committees on prosecution, the appointment of judges and judicial school, and latterly chaired the disciplinary committee and served on the administration and finance committee.
Pichetto was elected a senator in 2001, his term ending in 2007. In December 2002 he was elected President of the PJ block in the Senate. He is part of the Front for Victory
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...
faction in support of President
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...
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...
.
Pichetto campaigned to be governor of Río Negro province in the 2007 elections. There was some doubt as to whether Kirchner would support fellow Peronist Pichetto or the incumbent Radical
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...
governor, Miguel Saiz
Miguel Saiz
Miguel Saiz is an Argentine politician latterly of the Radical Civic Union , currently serving as governor of Río Negro Province.Born in Montevideo, Uruguay, Saiz studied at the National University of Córdoba and became a lawyer...
, who was a leading supporter of Kirchner from (the opposition) Radical ranks. Eventually Kirchner kept out of the provincial elections, and Pichetto lost to Saiz. Pichetto was returned to the Senate.
He is married with two children.