Ricardo Colombi
Encyclopedia
Ricardo Colombi is an Argentine lawyer and politician elected Governor of Corrientes Province
in 2009.
, a Corrientes Province agricultural and cattle ranching hub at the southern end of the Esteros del Iberá wetland
s. He enrolled at the National University of the Northeast
and became active in the Franja Morada, the collegiate chapter of the centrist Radical Civic Union
(UCR), following which he earned a Law Degree and practiced in his native Mercedes.
Colombi first campaigned for elected office in 1991, and was elected mayor of Mercedes that year. He earned a reputation as a highly-accessible mayor in subsequent years, and was reelected in 1995 and 1999. Following the June 1999 impeachment of Governor Pedro Braillard Poccard of the conservative PANU, Colombi launched a campaign for governor and, by 2001, had become the leading opposition figure to the powerful head of the PANU, Raúl Romero Feris. Romero Feris had been convicted of embezzlement, and his controversial 2001 candidacy unified his former allies, the Liberal Party of Corrientes
, and a significant faction of the Justicialist Party
in opposition to it.
They rallied behind Colombi, who ran on the UCR-led Front for Everyone
alliance. Romero Feris narrowly won the first round, October 14, but a November 4 runoff election resulted in a victory for Colombi, who won with 51.2% of the vote. Governing during a national economic recovery, and enjoying President Néstor Kirchner
's support, Colombi was prompted by term limits in 2005 to run for a seat in the Argentine Congress, but advanced a cousin, Arturo Colombi
, as the Front for All candidate for governor. The Corrientes UCR's continued support for the alliance (endorsed by Kirchner) led to a rebuke from the national committee of the UCR itself, and this triggered a revolt from the Corrientes chapter of the party, as well as a number of others' (notably in Mendoza Province
). These differences led to the appearance that year of "K" RadicalsUCR governors and other lawmakers allied with President Kirchner.
These developments created the possibility of Ricardo Colombi's selection as Kirchner's running-mate in the event of the president's campaign for reelection in 2007 (the president did not, ultimately, run for reelection, instead fielding his wife, Cristina). Colombi broke with his cousin (the governor), however, and left the Front for All in 2007, when he ran for a seat in the Corrientes Senate on the UCR ticket, and was elected with the endorsement of third parties; as provincial senator, Colombi focused on educational and cultural issues.
Colombi again ran for governor on a UCR-led Corrientes Encounter party, ahead of the 2009 mid-term elections
. The campaign pitted him against his cousin, who won the first round on September 13. Ricardo Colombi won the runoff on October 4, however, with over 62% of the vote.
Corrientes Province
Corrientes is a province in northeast Argentina, in the Mesopotamia region. It is surrounded by : Paraguay, the province of Misiones, Brazil, Uruguay, and the provinces of Entre Rios, Santa Fe and Chaco.-History:...
in 2009.
Life and times
Ricardo Horacio Colombi was born in MercedesMercedes, Corrientes
Mercedes is a city in the center of the . It is a first-class municipality with a population of about 35,000 inhabitants , and the head town of the department of the same name, which also includes the towns of Felipe Yofre and Mariano I. Loza...
, a Corrientes Province agricultural and cattle ranching hub at the southern end of the Esteros del Iberá wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s. He enrolled at the National University of the Northeast
National University of the Northeast
The National University of the Northeast is an Argentine national university. It is located in the cities of Corrientes and Resistencia, capitals cities of the Provinces of Corrientes and Chaco respectively, and was established on December 4, 1956...
and became active in the Franja Morada, the collegiate chapter of the centrist 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), following which he earned a Law Degree and practiced in his native Mercedes.
Colombi first campaigned for elected office in 1991, and was elected mayor of Mercedes that year. He earned a reputation as a highly-accessible mayor in subsequent years, and was reelected in 1995 and 1999. Following the June 1999 impeachment of Governor Pedro Braillard Poccard of the conservative PANU, Colombi launched a campaign for governor and, by 2001, had become the leading opposition figure to the powerful head of the PANU, Raúl Romero Feris. Romero Feris had been convicted of embezzlement, and his controversial 2001 candidacy unified his former allies, the Liberal Party of Corrientes
Liberal Party of Corrientes
The Liberal Party of Corrientes is a liberal conservative provincial political party in Corrientes Province, Argentina. Founded in 1856, it is the oldest political party in Argentina and in Latin America, the second oldest in the Americas....
, and a significant faction 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...
in opposition to it.
They rallied behind Colombi, who ran on the UCR-led Front for Everyone
Front for Everyone
The Front for Everyone is a provincial political party alliance based in Chaco and Corrientes Provinces, Argentina.The front is made up of members of the Radical Civic Union and most supporters of the Justicialist Party...
alliance. Romero Feris narrowly won the first round, October 14, but a November 4 runoff election resulted in a victory for Colombi, who won with 51.2% of the vote. Governing during a national economic recovery, and enjoying President 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 ...
's support, Colombi was prompted by term limits in 2005 to run for a seat in the Argentine Congress, but advanced a cousin, Arturo Colombi
Arturo Colombi
Arturo Colombi is an Argentine Radical Civic Union politician, and former governor of Corrientes Province.Born in Mercedes, Corrientes, and educated at the National University of the Northeast with a degree in civil engineering, Colombi served as provincial Minister of Public Works in the...
, as the Front for All candidate for governor. The Corrientes UCR's continued support for the alliance (endorsed by Kirchner) led to a rebuke from the national committee of the UCR itself, and this triggered a revolt from the Corrientes chapter of the party, as well as a number of others' (notably in 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...
). These differences led to the appearance that year of "K" RadicalsUCR governors and other lawmakers allied with President Kirchner.
These developments created the possibility of Ricardo Colombi's selection as Kirchner's running-mate in the event of the president's campaign for reelection in 2007 (the president did not, ultimately, run for reelection, instead fielding his wife, Cristina). Colombi broke with his cousin (the governor), however, and left the Front for All in 2007, when he ran for a seat in the Corrientes Senate on the UCR ticket, and was elected with the endorsement of third parties; as provincial senator, Colombi focused on educational and cultural issues.
Colombi again ran for governor on a UCR-led Corrientes Encounter party, ahead of the 2009 mid-term elections
Argentine legislative election, 2009
Legislative elections were held in Argentina for half the seats in the Chamber of Deputies and a third of the seats in the Senate on 28 June 2009, as well as for the legislature of the City of Buenos Aires and other municipalities.-Background:...
. The campaign pitted him against his cousin, who won the first round on September 13. Ricardo Colombi won the runoff on October 4, however, with over 62% of the vote.