Manuel Rosales
Encyclopedia
Manuel Antonio Rosales Guerrero (b. December 12, 1952, in Santa Bárbara del Zulia
) is a Venezuela
n educator and politician and was the most prominent opposition candidate in the 2006 presidential election
, losing to incumbent Hugo Chávez
. He served as a congressman, mayor, and governor, but in April 2009, stepped down as Mayor of Maracaibo
when he was charged with corruption in Venezuela and fled to Peru
. Rosales denies the charges, and was granted political asylum in Peru.
(AD), described by the BBC as "one of the two parties that dominated Venezuelan politics for most of the second half of the 20th Century". In 2000 he founded "his own centre-left party which he called Un Nuevo Tiempo" (A New Era
); he describes "himself as a social democrat".
Rosales served as a congressman in the Zulia
Legislative Assembly (1983–1994), Mayor of Maracaibo
(1996–2000)—Venezuela's second-largest city, in Zulia, Venezuela's wealthiest state—and Governor of Zulia for two terms (2000–2004 and 2004–2008).
Rosales was accused of participating in the 2002 "attempt to oust the president"; according to the BBC, "government supporters accuse him of taking part in a short-lived coup ...". Rosales signed the Carmona Decree—a document drawn up on the day following the Venezuelan coup attempt of 2002
, which saw the temporary removal of President Chávez. He declared that he signed during a "moment of confusion" after "Chavez's resignation, although [Chavez] later denied [the resignation]", and that he signed his attendance at a meeting he was urgently requested to attend.
had been scheduled for August 2006, but was cancelled when other presidential opposition candidates agreed to withdraw from the race and support Rosales. As "one of only two governors" opposed to Chavez, Rosales united the opposition, representing a broad coalition of parties and organizations opposed to Hugo Chávez. According to the BBC, "critics ... describe him as uncharismatic".
Rosales' platform was based on what he called "democracy and social justice" and crime; according to the BBC, "He has accused Mr Chavez of wasting the country's oil wealth on friendly governments abroad and of trying to introduce Cuban-style communism." Rosales said that the backbone of his government program would be the social arena, saying it would be a "sound and well defined" program, including a "fair allocation of oil revenues by means of two axes – minimum wage for all unemployed and direct contribution to the underprivileged". He stated that Chávez was vulnerable on his "massive foreign aid programs, government-approved takeovers of land and buildings, and the perception that crime is increasing". Rosales said, "We will distribute land to the peasants, but we will buy it in such a way as to respect the principle of private property, just as we will respect those of human rights and social justice." His platform would halt oil giveaways, "including sales of discounted oil to Cuba, until Venezuela reduced its high poverty rate."
Rosales accused Chávez of "overspending on a military buildup" and pledged "to use Venezuela's oil wealth to help the poor and improve education and health care", ridiculing Chávez's "claims of a possible war with the U.S." and saying, "Venezuela's real war should be against rampant street crime." The New York Times
said, "Rosales has focused on other themes, including fierce criticism of the alliances Mr. Chávez has made with countries on the fringes of American influence, like Iran and Cuba. But his campaign's predominant message is that Mr. Chávez, despite his socialist talk, has failed to deliver oil wealth to the poor." The New York Times also said Rosales "has been pounding the crime issue, questioning why murders have surged since Mr. Chávez entered office", and saying Chavez's "confrontational style" was "feeding the crime epidemic".
Incumbent president Hugo Chávez
was re-elected with 62.87% of the vote.
; according to the BBC, in "the campaign, Mr Chavez railed against him, threatening him with prison and accusing him of corruption and plotting to assassinate him". According to USA Today, Rosales characterized the allegations as an "electoral ploy to distract Venezuelans from pressing problems such as double-digit inflation and rampant crime".
Rosales was charged by the Venezuelan Attorney General with corruption in late 2008, accused of "misusing public funds" during his term as Governor of Zulia—charges which he denies. Prosecutors say he obtained $60,000 illicitly while he was governor. According to Rosales, a 2002–2004 investigation that "was closed for lack of evidence" was "'suddenly reopened by orders from above,' alluding to Chavez".
Rosales went into hiding in March 2009 when charges were filed, and failed to appear in court in April. On 22 April it was reported that he had sought political asylum in Peru
. Interpol
issued a "red notice
" (requesting international cooperation in the apprehension of a suspect, with a view to enabling extradition proceedings) at Venezuela's request.
According to CNN, "[o]ne of Rosales' lawyers noted that Chavez said publicly in October 2008, before Rosales was charged, that he wanted the mayor in prison." Rosales' supporters characterized the charges as a "political witch hunt". According to the BBC, "His decision to leave Venezuela is the latest development in a long-running feud with Mr Chavez." Venezuelan authorities deny that the charges are politically motivated.
On April 28, 2009, Venezuela withdrew its ambassador to Lima in response to Peru's decision to grant Rosales political asylum. Peruvian officials said the decision was part of their "long-standing commitment to international law"; Venezuelan officials called it a "mockery of international law, a strong blow to the fight against corruption and an offence to the people of Venezuela", saying that Rosales should have been detained and extradited.
The newspaper El Nuevo Herald
reported in 2009 about allegations by Geovanny Velásquez Zambrano, a member of the Colombian paramilitary group Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia serving a 40-year prison term for paramilitary massacres, that Rosales met with Colombian paramilitaries in 1999 to plot the assassination of Chávez. Zambrano claims that he attended two meetings with Morales, in which Morales offered him and his subordinates US$ 25 million to kill Chávez. Rosales denies these allegations, saying they are a lie and that his passport documents that he was in Aruba during the time of the alleged meetings, saying "The only plan in which I have been involved to 'do away with' Chavez has been the electoral plan". Venezuela's Attorney General announced an investigation of these allegations in October 2009.
The 2009 Human Rights Watch
report mentions Rosales as an example of political persecution, questioning the judicial procedures against him.
He is married to Eveling Trejo de Rosales; they have eight children (Ender Manuel, Jenny, Manuel Alejandro, Marenel, Marebeth, Carlos Manuel, Manuel Andrés, and Mervin).
Santa Bárbara del Zulia
Santa Bárbara del Zulia is a city of some 80,000 inhabitants in Zulia State in Venezuela. It is located at 09° 00' N, 71° 54' W, to the south-west of Maracaibo Lake, in the Sur del Lago region of the state...
) is a Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n educator and politician and was the most prominent opposition candidate in the 2006 presidential election
Venezuelan presidential election, 2006
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela held presidential elections on 3 December 2006, to choose a president for the six-year term to begin on 10 January 2007...
, losing to incumbent Hugo Chávez
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
. He served as a congressman, mayor, and governor, but in April 2009, stepped down as Mayor of Maracaibo
Maracaibo
Maracaibo is a city and municipality located in northwestern Venezuela off the western coast of the Lake Maracaibo. It is the second-largest city in the country after the national capital Caracas and the capital of Zulia state...
when he was charged with corruption in Venezuela and fled to Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. Rosales denies the charges, and was granted political asylum in Peru.
Political background
Rosales began his political career as a youth leader of the political party, Acción DemocráticaDemocratic Action
Democratic Action is a centrist Venezuelan political party established in 1941. The party and its antecedents played an important role in the early years of Venezuelan democracy, and led the government during Venezuela's first democratic period...
(AD), described by the BBC as "one of the two parties that dominated Venezuelan politics for most of the second half of the 20th Century". In 2000 he founded "his own centre-left party which he called Un Nuevo Tiempo" (A New Era
A New Era
A New Era is a centrist political party of Venezuela arising from the Third Way tradition. It is the largest party in Venezuela's fractured opposition, earning 11% of the vote in the 2008 gubernatorial elections...
); he describes "himself as a social democrat".
Rosales served as a congressman in the Zulia
Zulia
Zulia State is one of the 23 states of Venezuela. The state capital is Maracaibo. In June 30, 2010, it had an estimated population of 3,821,068, giving it the largest population among Venezuela's states. It is located in the northwestern part of the country...
Legislative Assembly (1983–1994), Mayor of Maracaibo
Maracaibo
Maracaibo is a city and municipality located in northwestern Venezuela off the western coast of the Lake Maracaibo. It is the second-largest city in the country after the national capital Caracas and the capital of Zulia state...
(1996–2000)—Venezuela's second-largest city, in Zulia, Venezuela's wealthiest state—and Governor of Zulia for two terms (2000–2004 and 2004–2008).
Rosales was accused of participating in the 2002 "attempt to oust the president"; according to the BBC, "government supporters accuse him of taking part in a short-lived coup ...". Rosales signed the Carmona Decree—a document drawn up on the day following the Venezuelan coup attempt of 2002
Venezuelan coup attempt of 2002
The Venezuelan coup attempt of 2002 was a failed coup d'état on 11 April 2002 that saw President Hugo Chávez ousted from office for 47 hours, being restored by a combination of military force and mass demonstration of popular support...
, which saw the temporary removal of President Chávez. He declared that he signed during a "moment of confusion" after "Chavez's resignation, although [Chavez] later denied [the resignation]", and that he signed his attendance at a meeting he was urgently requested to attend.
Presidential bid
Rosales was defeated by Chavez in the December 2006 Venezuelan election to choose a president for the six-year term beginning in January 2007. A primary election organized by SumateSúmate
Súmate is a Venezuelan volunteer civil association founded in 2002 by María Corina Machado and Alejandro Plaz. Súmate describes itself as a vote-monitoring group; it has also been described as an election-monitoring group....
had been scheduled for August 2006, but was cancelled when other presidential opposition candidates agreed to withdraw from the race and support Rosales. As "one of only two governors" opposed to Chavez, Rosales united the opposition, representing a broad coalition of parties and organizations opposed to Hugo Chávez. According to the BBC, "critics ... describe him as uncharismatic".
Rosales accused Chávez of "overspending on a military buildup" and pledged "to use Venezuela's oil wealth to help the poor and improve education and health care", ridiculing Chávez's "claims of a possible war with the U.S." and saying, "Venezuela's real war should be against rampant street crime." The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
said, "Rosales has focused on other themes, including fierce criticism of the alliances Mr. Chávez has made with countries on the fringes of American influence, like Iran and Cuba. But his campaign's predominant message is that Mr. Chávez, despite his socialist talk, has failed to deliver oil wealth to the poor." The New York Times also said Rosales "has been pounding the crime issue, questioning why murders have surged since Mr. Chávez entered office", and saying Chavez's "confrontational style" was "feeding the crime epidemic".
Incumbent president Hugo Chávez
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
was re-elected with 62.87% of the vote.
Corruption and assassination charges
Rosales was re-elected Mayor of Maracaibo in the 2008 Venezuelan regional electionsVenezuelan regional elections, 2008
The regional elections of Venezuela were held on Sunday, 23 November 2008, to choose22 governors, 2 metropolitan mayors, 328 mayors and 251 aldermen for a four-year term . These were the first elections to be held since incumbent President Hugo Chávez founded the PSUV.In these elections, 17,308...
; according to the BBC, in "the campaign, Mr Chavez railed against him, threatening him with prison and accusing him of corruption and plotting to assassinate him". According to USA Today, Rosales characterized the allegations as an "electoral ploy to distract Venezuelans from pressing problems such as double-digit inflation and rampant crime".
Rosales was charged by the Venezuelan Attorney General with corruption in late 2008, accused of "misusing public funds" during his term as Governor of Zulia—charges which he denies. Prosecutors say he obtained $60,000 illicitly while he was governor. According to Rosales, a 2002–2004 investigation that "was closed for lack of evidence" was "'suddenly reopened by orders from above,' alluding to Chavez".
Rosales went into hiding in March 2009 when charges were filed, and failed to appear in court in April. On 22 April it was reported that he had sought political asylum in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. Interpol
Interpol
Interpol, whose full name is the International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation...
issued a "red notice
Interpol notice
An Interpol notice or international notice is issued by Interpol to share information between its members. There are seven types, six of which are known by their colour codes: Red, Blue, Green, Yellow, Black, Orange....
" (requesting international cooperation in the apprehension of a suspect, with a view to enabling extradition proceedings) at Venezuela's request.
According to CNN, "[o]ne of Rosales' lawyers noted that Chavez said publicly in October 2008, before Rosales was charged, that he wanted the mayor in prison." Rosales' supporters characterized the charges as a "political witch hunt". According to the BBC, "His decision to leave Venezuela is the latest development in a long-running feud with Mr Chavez." Venezuelan authorities deny that the charges are politically motivated.
On April 28, 2009, Venezuela withdrew its ambassador to Lima in response to Peru's decision to grant Rosales political asylum. Peruvian officials said the decision was part of their "long-standing commitment to international law"; Venezuelan officials called it a "mockery of international law, a strong blow to the fight against corruption and an offence to the people of Venezuela", saying that Rosales should have been detained and extradited.
The newspaper El Nuevo Herald
El Nuevo Herald
El Nuevo Herald is a McClatchy newspaper published daily in Spanish in Miami, Florida, in the United States. El Nuevo Heralds sister paper is The Miami Herald, also produced by the McClatchy Company.-About El Nuevo Herald:...
reported in 2009 about allegations by Geovanny Velásquez Zambrano, a member of the Colombian paramilitary group Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia serving a 40-year prison term for paramilitary massacres, that Rosales met with Colombian paramilitaries in 1999 to plot the assassination of Chávez. Zambrano claims that he attended two meetings with Morales, in which Morales offered him and his subordinates US$ 25 million to kill Chávez. Rosales denies these allegations, saying they are a lie and that his passport documents that he was in Aruba during the time of the alleged meetings, saying "The only plan in which I have been involved to 'do away with' Chavez has been the electoral plan". Venezuela's Attorney General announced an investigation of these allegations in October 2009.
The 2009 Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
report mentions Rosales as an example of political persecution, questioning the judicial procedures against him.
Personal
Rosales was a teacher before moving in to public service. He was a co-founder of Universidad Nacional Experimental Sur del Lago, and received numerous distinctions and honors for his public service.He is married to Eveling Trejo de Rosales; they have eight children (Ender Manuel, Jenny, Manuel Alejandro, Marenel, Marebeth, Carlos Manuel, Manuel Andrés, and Mervin).