Roberto Basualdo
Encyclopedia
Roberto Gustavo Basualdo (b. 1957) is an Argentine
politician, formerly of the Justicialist Party
(PJ). He sits in the Argentine Senate
representing San Juan Province (Argentina)
for the Front of Production and Labour.
In 1976, Basualdo began a motor racing career, competing in the Cuyo
district and gaining five championships. In 1990 he and his father started a company, Roberto Basualdo S.A., which sells perfumes and cleaning products. He became involved in politics as a Justicialist in 1993, standing as running mate to Olga Riutort in the 1995 election for governor. In 1999, he stood for the mayoralty of San Juan
and in 2001 he was elected a national deputy
.
Basualdo is a dissident Peronist
opposed to the mainstream of his party in the province but is closer to the national leadership of the PJ. He set up his own party, the Life and Commitment Movement. In 2003, he stood for the governorship of San Juan, losing to the Justicialist José Luis Gioja
by 41.5% to 30.8%, with incumbent governor Wbaldino Acosta
third with 19%. He backed Adolfo Rodríguez Saá
for the presidency in that year.
He was elected to the Senate in 2005. In the Senate he sits in his own block, rather than the ruling Front for Victory
, although he supported the election of President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner
. In recent years, his party has leached support back to the mainstream of the PJ. In 2007 he stood once again against Gioja for the governorship, heading the Front for Change. He made opposition of opencast mining
a key element of his campaign.
From 2007, Basualdo was the second vice-president of the Senate, coordinating the senators from smaller parties from the interior of the country.
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, formerly of the 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...
(PJ). He sits in 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 San Juan Province (Argentina)
San Juan Province (Argentina)
San Juan is a province of Argentina, located in the western part of the country. Neighbouring provinces are, moving clockwise from the north, La Rioja, San Luis and Mendoza. It borders with Chile at the west....
for the Front of Production and Labour.
In 1976, Basualdo began a motor racing career, competing in the Cuyo
Cuyo (Argentina)
Cuyo is the name given to the wine-producing, mountainous area of central-west Argentina. Historically it comprised the provinces of San Juan, San Luis and Mendoza. The term New Cuyo is a modern one, which indicates both Cuyo proper and the province of La Rioja...
district and gaining five championships. In 1990 he and his father started a company, Roberto Basualdo S.A., which sells perfumes and cleaning products. He became involved in politics as a Justicialist in 1993, standing as running mate to Olga Riutort in the 1995 election for governor. In 1999, he stood for the mayoralty of San Juan
San Juan, Argentina
San Juan is the capital city of the Argentine province of San Juan in the Cuyo region, located in the Tulúm Valley, west of the San Juan River, at above mean sea level, with a population of around 112,000 as per the ....
and in 2001 he was elected a national deputy
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....
.
Basualdo is a dissident Peronist
Peronism
Peronism , or Justicialism , is an Argentine political movement based on the programmes associated with former President Juan Perón and his second wife, Eva Perón...
opposed to the mainstream of his party in the province but is closer to the national leadership of the PJ. He set up his own party, the Life and Commitment Movement. In 2003, he stood for the governorship of San Juan, losing to the Justicialist José Luis Gioja
José Luis Gioja
José Luis Gioja is an Argentine Justicialist Party politician, current governor of San Juan Province and former President of the Argentine Senate....
by 41.5% to 30.8%, with incumbent governor Wbaldino Acosta
Wbaldino Acosta
Wbaldino Acosta was an Argentine politician who served as Governor of his province of San Juan.Acosta was a lawyer and was active in public life, heading the provincial boxing federation in 1978. In 1971 he had joined the important San Juan party, the Partido Bloquista, led by Leopoldo Bravo who...
third with 19%. He backed Adolfo Rodríguez Saá
Adolfo Rodríguez Saá
Adolfo Rodríguez Saá Páez Montero is an Argentine Peronist politician. He was the governor of the province of San Luis during several terms, and briefly served as President of Argentina.-Biography:...
for the presidency in that year.
He was elected to the Senate in 2005. In the Senate he sits in his own block, rather than the ruling 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...
, although he supported the election of President 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...
. In recent years, his party has leached support back to the mainstream of the PJ. In 2007 he stood once again against Gioja for the governorship, heading the Front for Change. He made opposition of opencast mining
Open-pit mining
Open-pit mining or opencast mining refers to a method of extracting rock or minerals from the earth by their removal from an open pit or borrow....
a key element of his campaign.
From 2007, Basualdo was the second vice-president of the Senate, coordinating the senators from smaller parties from the interior of the country.