Roberto Iglesias
Encyclopedia
Roberto Raúl Iglesias is an Argentine
Radical Civic Union
(UCR) politician, a former leader of the party and formerly a deputy and governor of Mendoza Province
.
Iglesias was born in Mendoza, Argentina
, and enrolled at the local campus of the National Technological University
, earning a degree in construction engineering
. He was elected City Councilman in 1991, and Mayor of Mendoza, in 1995. Joining an alliance
between the UCR and FrePaSo, he was elected Governor of Mendoza Province
in 1999. He stepped down in 2003, being elected to the Argentine Chamber of Deputies
.
In December 2005, Iglesias succeeded Ángel Rozas
as President of the national committee of the Radical Civic Union, effectively leader of the party. In gaining the position, he took a hard-line approach against Peronist President
Néstor Kirchner
, largely opposing efforts to re-align the Radicals alongside the left-wing Kirchner.
Iglesias had supported fellow UCR member, Julio Cobos
, to succeed him as governor in 2003, but they subsequently fell out in a high-profile manner. Cobos became a leading supporter of President Kirchner in Radical ranks, taking a more left-wing position, and Iglesias leading the opposition to Kirchner ahead of the 2007 elections. He threatened to resign if the UCR did not deal with deputies and governors who align themselves with Kirchner.
Iglesias led negotiations to find a suitable candidate for the UCR to back in the 2007 Presidential elections. Roberto Lavagna
, a former minister under Kirchner who subsequently opposed his policies, appeared to be the favoured candidate for the majority of the Party. However, Iglesias eventually resigned the presidency of the party in November 2006 due to differences with Lavagna, having reached the conclusion that an alliance with him would be a mistake, and joined the camp which maintained that the party should look for its own candidate (the so-called Radicales R).
On 1 December 2006 the UCR National Committee appointed Jujuy Province
Senator Gerardo Morales
as its new president. Morales stated that he wanted to follow the mandate of the Rosario convention (that is, looking for a possible alliance with Roberto Lavagna) and went on to become Lavagna's running mate in the presidential election of October 2007, coming third. Cobos meanwhile was elected Vice President as the running mate of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner
. Iglesias stood to be governor of Mendoza once again but came fourth with less than 10% of the vote. He left the Chamber of Deputies at the same election.
Iglesias has accepted the request of Morales to plan together the future of the UCR, including to consider an alliance with the centre-left and a way to accommodate those Radicals who have hitherto backed Kirchnerism
in the Plural Consensus
.
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...
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) politician, a former leader of the party and formerly a deputy and governor of Mendoza Province
Mendoza Province
The Province of Mendoza is a province of Argentina, located in the western central part of the country in the Cuyo region. It borders to the north with San Juan, the south with La Pampa and Neuquén, the east with San Luis, and to the west with the republic of Chile; the international limit is...
.
Iglesias was born in Mendoza, Argentina
Mendoza, Argentina
Mendoza is the capital city of Mendoza Province, in Argentina. It is located in the northern-central part of the province, in a region of foothills and high plains, on the eastern side of the Andes. As of the , Mendoza's population was 110,993...
, and enrolled at the local campus of the National Technological University
National Technological University
The National Technological University is a National University of Argentina, specializing in engineering and exact sciences. Hosting over 75,000 students, its student body is comparable to Argentina's third-largest university and exceeded significantly only by the University of Buenos Aires...
, earning a degree in construction engineering
Construction engineering
Construction engineering is a professional discipline that deals with the designing, planning, construction, and management of infrastructures such as highways, bridges, airports, railroads, buildings, dams, and utilities. Construction Engineers are unique such that they are a cross between civil...
. He was elected City Councilman in 1991, and Mayor of Mendoza, in 1995. Joining an alliance
Alliance for Work, Justice and Education
The Alliance for Work, Justice and Education was a party coalition in Argentina around the turn of the third millennium...
between the UCR and FrePaSo, he was elected Governor of Mendoza Province
Mendoza Province
The Province of Mendoza is a province of Argentina, located in the western central part of the country in the Cuyo region. It borders to the north with San Juan, the south with La Pampa and Neuquén, the east with San Luis, and to the west with the republic of Chile; the international limit is...
in 1999. He stepped down in 2003, being 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....
.
In December 2005, Iglesias succeeded Ángel Rozas
Ángel Rozas
Ángel Rozas is an Argentine politician. He is a member of the Radical Civic Union and has been de facto leader of that party....
as President of the national committee of the Radical Civic Union, effectively leader of the party. In gaining the position, he took a hard-line approach against Peronist 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...
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 ...
, largely opposing efforts to re-align the Radicals alongside the left-wing Kirchner.
Iglesias had supported fellow UCR member, Julio Cobos
Julio Cobos
Julio César Cleto Cobos is an Argentine politician, currently serving as the Vice President of Argentina alongside President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. He started his political career as member of the Radical Civic Union , becoming Governor of Mendoza in 2003...
, to succeed him as governor in 2003, but they subsequently fell out in a high-profile manner. Cobos became a leading supporter of President Kirchner in Radical ranks, taking a more left-wing position, and Iglesias leading the opposition to Kirchner ahead of the 2007 elections. He threatened to resign if the UCR did not deal with deputies and governors who align themselves with Kirchner.
Iglesias led negotiations to find a suitable candidate for the UCR to back in the 2007 Presidential elections. 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 favoured candidate for the majority of the Party. However, Iglesias eventually resigned the presidency of the party in November 2006 due to differences with Lavagna, having reached the conclusion that an alliance with him would be a mistake, and joined the camp which maintained that the party should look for its own candidate (the so-called Radicales R).
On 1 December 2006 the UCR National Committee appointed 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:...
Senator Gerardo Morales
Gerardo Morales (Argentine politician)
Gerardo Rubén Morales is an Argentine politician, leader of the Radical Civic Union . 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...
as its new president. Morales stated that he wanted to follow the mandate of the Rosario convention (that is, looking for a possible alliance with Roberto Lavagna) and went on to become Lavagna's running mate in the presidential election of October 2007, coming third. Cobos meanwhile was elected Vice President as the running mate of 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...
. Iglesias stood to be governor of Mendoza once again but came fourth with less than 10% of the vote. He left the Chamber of Deputies at the same election.
Iglesias has accepted the request of Morales to plan together the future of the UCR, including to consider an alliance with the centre-left and a way to accommodate those Radicals who have hitherto backed Kirchnerism
Kirchnerism
Kirchnerism is a term used to refer to the political philosophy and supporters of Néstor Kirchner, president of Argentina from 2003 to 2007, and of his wife Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, President from 2007...
in the Plural Consensus
Plural Consensus
Plural Consensus is an Kirchnerist electoral alliance in Argentina acting as a political bloc in the Argentine Senate and elsewhere.The coalition is largely made up of members of the Radical Civic Union, a group of smaller parties and dissident Socialist Party members who support the governing...
.