Luis Alberto Lacalle
Encyclopedia
Luis Alberto Lacalle de Herrera (ˈlwis alˈβerto laˈkaʎe ðe eˈreɾa, known as Cuqui (born July 13, 1941) is a Uruguay
an lawyer and politician who served as President of Uruguay
from 1990 to 1995.
, after whom Lacalle was named. Luis Alberto Lacalle joined the National Party
at the age of 17. In 1961 he started working as a journalist for Clarin
and he graduated from the University of the Republic's
law school in 1964. In 1971, he was elected deputy
for Montevideo
and kept his seat until the 1973 coup through which president Juan María Bordaberry
dissolved parliament.
, with running-mate, Gonzalo Aguirre
. In the subsequent elections
in November 1989, the National Party defeated rivals Colorado Party
(running with several presidential candidates: Jorge Batlle Jorge Pacheco Areco
and Hugo Fernandez Faingold
and Broad Front
(running with presidential candidate Líber Seregni
. Lacalle got the most votes within his party, defeating Carlos Julio Pereyra and Alberto Zumarán and thus was elected President of Uruguay
, taking office on March 1, 1990 for a five year-term.
were increased (from 21% to 22% income tax
was increased and a few other taxes were created. During his rule, he encouraged a free market program, participated in the Brady bonds
plan to alleviate foreign debt obligations, and was a co-founder of the Mercosur
, along with the presidents of Paraguay
, Brazil
, and Argentina
, which took effect in the Treaty of Asunción on 1991.
In 1992, support for his economic reforms suffered a heavy blow when one of his most significant initiatives, a plan to privatize Uruguay's state-owned companies, was rejected by referendum
In the 1994 national elections, he selected his Interior Minister, Juan Andrés Ramírez
to be the presidential candidate of the Herrerismo faction. The National Party narrowly lost the elections to the Colorado Party.
.
Lacalle ran again for President in the 2004 elections, but the other Party leaders had gathered around a single opposing candidate, Jorge Larrañaga
, who defeated him in the primaries by a 2 to 1 margin. In 2009, he ran for the presidency again, this time defeating Jorge Larrañaga in the June primaries. By winning the primary election, he became head of the governing board of the party. He lost the presidential elections to José Mujica
in a run-off election in November.
Lacalle is a member of the Club of Madrid
and he is Member of the Board of the Public Affairs Committee of the Jerusalem Summit.
, and Economist Juan José Lacalle Pou.
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
an lawyer and politician who served as President of Uruguay
President of Uruguay
The President of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay is the head of state of Uruguay. His or her rights are determined in the Constitution of Uruguay. Conforms with the Secretariat of the Presidency, the Council of Ministers and the Director of the Office of Planning and Budget, the executive branch...
from 1990 to 1995.
Background
His mother, María Hortensia de Herrera de Lacalle, was the daughter of the Blanco political leader Luis Alberto de HerreraLuis Alberto de Herrera
Luis Alberto de Herrera was a Uruguayan lawyer and politician.-Political and diplomatic roles:A National leader of great importance during the first half of the 20th century; he led the National Party through the most decisive instances along five decades...
, after whom Lacalle was named. Luis Alberto Lacalle joined the National Party
National Party (Uruguay)
The National Party , also known as the White Party , is a major right-wing conservative political party in Uruguay, currently the major opposition party to the ruling Frente Amplio government....
at the age of 17. In 1961 he started working as a journalist for Clarin
Clarin
Clarin or Clarín may refer to a number of things:*In Argentina, Clarín , the country's main newspaper*In Chile,El Clarín de Chile, a Chilean newspaper*In the Philippines:**The municipality of Clarin, Bohol...
and he graduated from the University of the Republic's
University of the Republic, Uruguay
The University of the Republic is Uruguay's public university. It is the most important and country's largest university, with a student body of more than 80,000 students. It was founded on July 18, 1849 in Montevideo, where most of its buildings and facilities are still located. Its current...
law school in 1964. In 1971, he was elected deputy
Deputy (legislator)
A deputy is a legislator in many countries, particularly those with legislatures styled as a 'Chamber of Deputies' or 'National Assembly'.-List of countries:This is an list of countries using the term 'deputy' or one of its cognates....
for Montevideo
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
and kept his seat until the 1973 coup through which president Juan María Bordaberry
Juan María Bordaberry
Juan María Bordaberry Arocena was a Uruguayan politician and cattle rancher, who first served as President from 1972 until 1976, including as a dictator from 1973 until his ouster in a 1976 coup...
dissolved parliament.
Assassination attempt
In August 1978 Lacalle was sent three bottles of wine tainted with poison addressed to himself and two fellow National Party members (Heber and Pereyra) who had been trying to negotiate a way out of the military regime. Lacalle's wife warned him against the suspicious gift, but Heber's wife drank a glass, dying immediately. The case remains unsolved.Vice-President of Senate
When democracy was restored in 1984 he was elected senator, and became vice-president of the Senate.President of Uruguay
In 1989 he ran for the presidency for his faction, HerrerismoHerrerismo
Herrerism is a political faction of the Partido Nacional in Uruguay.-History, and prominent members:It is named after the leader and founder of the faction, Dr...
, with running-mate, Gonzalo Aguirre
Gonzalo Aguirre
Gonzalo Aguirre Ramírez is a Uruguayan politician. lawyer and newspaper columnist. He served as Vice President of Uruguay from 1990 to 1995.-Background:...
. In the subsequent elections
Uruguayan general election, 1989
The Uruguayan general election that took place on November 26, 1989, resulted in a clear win for the Partido Nacional, and victory for the Herrerismo-Renovación y Victoria presidential candidate, Luis Alberto Lacalle....
in November 1989, the National Party defeated rivals Colorado Party
Colorado Party (Uruguay)
The Colorado Party is a political party in Uruguay.- Aims :It unites Conservative, Moderate and Social democratic groups. It was the dominant party of government almost without exception during the stabilisation of the Uruguayan republic....
(running with several presidential candidates: Jorge Batlle Jorge Pacheco Areco
Jorge Pacheco Areco
Jorge Pacheco Areco was a Uruguayan politician and member of the Colorado Party. He served as President of Uruguay from December 6, 1967 to March 1, 1972.-Vice President of Uruguay:...
and Hugo Fernandez Faingold
Hugo Fernández Faingold
Hugo Fernández Faingold is a Uruguayan political figure, who served as Vice President of Uruguay.-Background:Fernández Faingold belongs to the Uruguayan Colorado Party...
and Broad Front
Broad Front (Uruguay)
The Broad Front is a Uruguayan left-wing coalition of political parties. It is led by Jorge Brovetto. Frente Amplio has close ties with PIT-CNT trade union and the cooperative housing movement.-History:...
(running with presidential candidate Líber Seregni
Líber Seregni
Líber Seregni Mosquera , was an Uruguayan military officer and politician. In his youth he a was a member of the Colorado Party. Under successive governments of that party, he had a successful military career until his retirement in 1968...
. Lacalle got the most votes within his party, defeating Carlos Julio Pereyra and Alberto Zumarán and thus was elected President of Uruguay
President of Uruguay
The President of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay is the head of state of Uruguay. His or her rights are determined in the Constitution of Uruguay. Conforms with the Secretariat of the Presidency, the Council of Ministers and the Director of the Office of Planning and Budget, the executive branch...
, taking office on March 1, 1990 for a five year-term.
Presidency
Upon taking office, Lacalle sent parliament a tax reform bill which was immediately passed with the support of the Colorado Party. Sales taxSales tax
A sales tax is a tax, usually paid by the consumer at the point of purchase, itemized separately from the base price, for certain goods and services. The tax amount is usually calculated by applying a percentage rate to the taxable price of a sale....
were increased (from 21% to 22% income tax
Income tax
An income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
was increased and a few other taxes were created. During his rule, he encouraged a free market program, participated in the Brady bonds
Brady Bonds
Brady bonds are dollar-denominated bonds, issued mostly by Latin American countries in the 1980s, named after U.S. Treasury Secretary Nicholas Brady.-History:...
plan to alleviate foreign debt obligations, and was a co-founder of the Mercosur
Mercosur
Mercosur or Mercosul is an economic and political agreement among Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Founded in 1991 by the Treaty of Asunción, which was later amended and updated by the 1994 Treaty of Ouro Preto. Its purpose is to promote free trade and the fluid movement of goods, people,...
, along with the presidents of Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, and Argentina
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...
, which took effect in the Treaty of Asunción on 1991.
In 1992, support for his economic reforms suffered a heavy blow when one of his most significant initiatives, a plan to privatize Uruguay's state-owned companies, was rejected by referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
In the 1994 national elections, he selected his Interior Minister, Juan Andrés Ramírez
Juan Andrés Ramírez
Juan Andrés Ramírez is a Uruguayan lawyer and politician.-Background:Juan Andrés Ramírez was born in Montevideo. He studied law, becoming a well-known civil lawyer. He became a member of the National Party...
to be the presidential candidate of the Herrerismo faction. The National Party narrowly lost the elections to the Colorado Party.
Later runs for Presidential office
In 1999, he won his Party's primary elections against Juan Andrés Ramírez (who had split from the Herrerismo) and several other candidates, and was a candidate for presidency again. However, a string of accusations about corruption in his government damaged his chances. Ramírez's departure from active politics after losing the primary was the final blow, and Lacalle came in third place with 22.3% of the votes in the general electionsUruguayan general election, 1999
General elections were held in Uruguay on 31 October 1999. A second round of the presidential election was held on 28 November 1999.- First round :In the first round of voting, no candidate won the necessary 50% of the vote to avoid a run-off....
.
Lacalle ran again for President in the 2004 elections, but the other Party leaders had gathered around a single opposing candidate, Jorge Larrañaga
Jorge Larrañaga
Jorge Washington Larrañaga Fraga is a Uruguayan politician. He is a senator and was Intendant of Paysandú . He was the presidential candidate of the National Party in 2004.-Background:...
, who defeated him in the primaries by a 2 to 1 margin. In 2009, he ran for the presidency again, this time defeating Jorge Larrañaga in the June primaries. By winning the primary election, he became head of the governing board of the party. He lost the presidential elections to José Mujica
José Mujica
José Alberto "Pepe" Mujica Cordano is a Uruguayan politician and former guerrilla fighter, a member of the Broad Front and current President of Uruguay....
in a run-off election in November.
Lacalle is a member of the Club of Madrid
Club of Madrid
The Club de Madrid is an independent non-profit organization created to promote democracy and change in the international community. Composed of 80 former Presidents and Prime Ministers from 56 countries, the Club de Madrid is the world’s largest forum of former Heads of State and Government.Among...
and he is Member of the Board of the Public Affairs Committee of the Jerusalem Summit.
Family
Lacalle is married to María Julia Pou Brito del Pino (b. 1946); they have three children, Pilar Lacalle Pou, the Member of Parliament Luis Alberto Lacalle PouLuis Alberto Lacalle Pou
Luis Alberto Aparicio Alejandro Lacalle Pou , is a Uruguayan political figure.-Background; elections:Lacalle Pou is the middle son of former President of Uruguay Luis Alberto Lacalle....
, and Economist Juan José Lacalle Pou.
See also
- Politics of UruguayPolitics of UruguayThe Politics of Uruguay abide by a presidential representative democratic republic, under which the President of Uruguay is both the head of state and the head of government, as well as a multiform party system. The president exercises executive power and Legislative power is vested in the two...
- List of political families#Uruguay
- Senador Luis Alberto Lacalle Herrera
External links
- Biography by CIDOB Foundation (in Spanish)