Pablo Verani
Encyclopedia
Pablo Federico Verani is an Argentine
politician, formerly of the Radical Civic Union
(UCR), from Río Negro Province
, Argentina
.
, Italy
, in 1938 to a well-to-do farming family, and his father was prominent in provincial politics. The elder Verani was separated from his family, however, when he joined the Italian resistance, and they were not reunited until after the Allied liberation
of the region. The family left Italy in 1947, and settled in Allen, Río Negro
, then a largely agrarian community in the Argentine Patagonia
region.
The Veranis prospered, and Pablo Verani completed his studies in Buenos Aires
, earning a law degree
at the University of Buenos Aires
in 1964. He returned to Río Negro and inherited his share in the family orchard
s, later purchasing the Deportivo Roca
football team
(a 4th level
team). This latter venture proved a bad investment, however, and he returned to farming.
His tenure at owner of the football club made him well-known in the province, however, and he was elected Mayor of General Roca
, the province's largest city, in 1983. He joined Horacio Massaccesi
as running mate on the UCR gubernatorial ticket in 1987, and served in the post until 1991, when he was elected to the Provincial Legislature. Following a term as UCR caucus leader, he was elected Governor of Río Negro in 1995 and was re-elected in 1999. His tenure was marked by significant investments in roads, irrigation
works, rural electrification
, as well as higher subsidies for apple
and pear
exporters. After stepping down in 2003, Verani then served as provincial minister for planning and development.
Verani was elected President of the provincial chapter of the UCR. Like his successor as governor, Miguel Saiz
, Verani is a leading figure in the ranks of those Radicals who support the ruling Front for Victory
of President
Cristina Fernández de Kirchner
and Néstor Kirchner
, the so-called Radicales K. Following a struggle to wrest control of the provincial party, Verani and Saiz were expelled from the UCR in December 2007.
Verani was elected as the third-seat Senator for his province, on the Alliance Consensus for Development ticket. He represents Río Negro Province
in the Argentine Senate
on the Plural Consensus
caucus, which supports the Front for Victory, and chairs the Committee on Science and Technology. Verani announced his support for his erstwhile Vice-Governor, Bautista Mendioroz, to run against Governor Saiz in the UCR primaries ahead the 2011 gubernatorial race.
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 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), from 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...
, 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...
.
Life and times
Verani was born in the Province of Reggio EmiliaProvince of Reggio Emilia
The Province of Reggio Emilia is one of the eight provinces of the Italian Region of Emilia-Romagna. The capital city, which is the most densely populated comune in the Province, is Reggio Emilia....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, in 1938 to a well-to-do farming family, and his father was prominent in provincial politics. The elder Verani was separated from his family, however, when he joined the Italian resistance, and they were not reunited until after the Allied liberation
Spring 1945 offensive in Italy
The Spring 1945 offensive in Italy, codenamed Operation Grapeshot, was the Allied attack by Fifth United States Army and British 8th Army into the Lombardy Plain which started on 6 April 1945 and ended on 2 May with the surrender of German forces in Italy....
of the region. The family left Italy in 1947, and settled in Allen, Río Negro
Allen, Río Negro
Allen is a city in the province of Río Negro, Argentina. It has 26,083 inhabitants as per the . It is located on the left-hand side of the Alto Valle of the Río Negro, near its beginning in the confluence of the Neuquén and Limay rivers, about west of General Roca and east of Neuquén.Allen was...
, then a largely agrarian community in the Argentine Patagonia
Patagonia
Patagonia is a region located in Argentina and Chile, integrating the southernmost section of the Andes mountains to the southwest towards the Pacific ocean and from the east of the cordillera to the valleys it follows south through Colorado River towards Carmen de Patagones in the Atlantic Ocean...
region.
The Veranis prospered, and Pablo Verani completed his studies in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, earning a law degree
Law degree
A Law degree is an academic degree conferred for studies in law. Such degrees are generally preparation for legal careers; but while their curricula may be reviewed by legal authority, they do not themselves confer a license...
at the University of Buenos Aires
University of Buenos Aires
The University of Buenos Aires is the largest university in Argentina and the largest university by enrollment in Latin America. Founded on August 12, 1821 in the city of Buenos Aires, it consists of 13 faculties, 6 hospitals, 10 museums and is linked to 4 high schools: Colegio Nacional de Buenos...
in 1964. He returned to Río Negro and inherited his share in the family orchard
Orchard
An orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit or nut-producing trees which are grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of large gardens, where they serve an aesthetic as well as a productive...
s, later purchasing the Deportivo Roca
Deportivo Roca
The Club Social y Deportivo General Roca is an Argentine sports club, based on General Roca, in the Río Negro Province. The club, founded on September 1, 1974, is mostly known for its football and basketball teams....
football team
Football team
A football team is the collective name given to a group of players selected together in the various team sports known as football.Such teams could be selected to play in an against an opposing team, to represent a football club, group, state or nation, an All-star team or even selected as a...
(a 4th level
Torneo Argentino B
Torneo Argentino B is one of two leagues that form the regionalised fourth level of the Argentine football league system. Clubs in Torneo Argentinos B come from all over Argentina....
team). This latter venture proved a bad investment, however, and he returned to farming.
His tenure at owner of the football club made him well-known in the province, however, and he was elected Mayor of General Roca
General Roca
General Roca may refer to a number of things and places named after Argentine military Julio Argentino Roca:Places;Argentina*General Roca, Río Negro*General Roca Department, Río Negro*General Roca Department, Córdoba...
, the province's largest city, in 1983. He joined Horacio Massaccesi
Horacio Massaccesi
Horacio Massaccesi is an Argentine politician and former Governor of Río Negro Province.-Early career:Massaccesi was born in 1948 to an Italian Argentine family in Villa Regina, then a largely agricultural town on the banks of the Río Negro in Argentina's region of Patagonia...
as running mate on the UCR gubernatorial ticket in 1987, and served in the post until 1991, when he was elected to the Provincial Legislature. Following a term as UCR caucus leader, he was elected Governor of Río Negro in 1995 and was re-elected in 1999. His tenure was marked by significant investments in roads, irrigation
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
works, rural electrification
Rural electrification
Rural electrification is the process of bringing electrical power to rural and remote areas. Electricity is used not only for lighting and household purposes, but it also allows for mechanization of many farming operations, such as threshing, milking, and hoisting grain for storage; in areas...
, as well as higher subsidies for apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
and pear
Pear
The pear is any of several tree species of genus Pyrus and also the name of the pomaceous fruit of these trees. Several species of pear are valued by humans for their edible fruit, but the fruit of other species is small, hard, and astringent....
exporters. After stepping down in 2003, Verani then served as provincial minister for planning and development.
Verani was elected President of the provincial chapter of the UCR. Like his successor as 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...
, Verani is a leading figure in the ranks of those Radicals who support 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...
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...
and 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 ...
, the so-called Radicales K. Following a struggle to wrest control of the provincial party, Verani and Saiz were expelled from the UCR in December 2007.
Verani was elected as the third-seat Senator for his province, on the Alliance Consensus for Development ticket. He represents 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...
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...
on 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...
caucus, which supports the Front for Victory, and chairs the Committee on Science and Technology. Verani announced his support for his erstwhile Vice-Governor, Bautista Mendioroz, to run against Governor Saiz in the UCR primaries ahead the 2011 gubernatorial race.