Tabaré Vázquez
From Freepedia
Tabaré Ramón Vázquez Rosas (born 17 January 1940) is the current President of Uruguay. A physician by training, he is a socialist and member of the leftist Broad Front coalition (Frente Amplio in Spanish). Vázquez was elected president on October 31, 2004 and took office on March 1 2005, the first leftist president in Uruguayan history.
Born in the Montevideo neighbourhood of La Teja, Vázquez studied medicine at the Universidad de la República Medical School, graduating as an oncology specialist in 1972. In 1976 he received a grant from the French government allowing him to obtain additional training at the Gustave Roussy Institute in Paris.
From 1990 to 1995, Vázquez was the Broad Front coalition's first Mayor of Montevideo. In 1994, he made an unsuccessful run for president as the Frente Amplio candidate, receiving 30.6% of the vote. In 1996, he was elected leader of the Frente Amplio, replacing the historic leader of the left-wing coalition, Liber Seregni. He ran again in 1999, receiving 45.9% percent of the vote in the runoff election, losing to Jorge Batlle. In the 2004 elections, he won 51.7% of the valid votes, with 1,124,761 votes on the first ballot, eliminating the need for a runoff. He became the first Uruguayan president who didn´t belong to the so-called "traditional" parties, the National (Blanco) and Colorado parties.
With his own Frente Amplio holding a majority in Parliament, Vázquez is thought to have few obstacles to start with. He will also have the support of the President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, also a leftist.
Vázquez is a notable football fan. During his ten-year stint (1979-1989) as president of the Club Progreso team, it won the national championship in 1989.
Vázquez is married to María Auxiliadora Delgado and has three children with her (Ignacio, Álvaro and Javier) plus an adopted son, Fabián.
Cabinet of President Tabaré Vázquez: (in brackets the political sector within the Frente Amplio to which the minister belongs)
Finance Minister: Danilo Astori (Asamblea Uruguay)
Interior Minister: José Díaz (Partido Socialista)
Minister of Foreign Affairs: Reinaldo Gargano (Partido Socialista)
Minister of Defence: Azucena Berruti (Partido Socialista)
Industry Minister: Jorge Lepra (Independent)
Agriculture Minister: José Mujica (Movimiento de Participación Popular)
Health Minister: María Julia Muñoz (Vertiente Artiguista)
Education Minister: Jorge Brovetto (Frente Amplio, no sector)
Housing Minister: Mariano Arana (Vertiente Artiguista)
Transportation Minister: Víctor Rossi (Alianza Progresista)
Employment Minister: Eduardo Bonomi (Movimiento de Participación Popular)
Social Development Minister: Marina Arismendi (Partido Comunista)
Tourism and Sports Minister: Hector Lescano (Alianza Progresista)
Non-ministerial positions:
Budget Director: Carlos Viera (Vertiente Artiguista) Secretary to the President: Gonzalo Fernández (Partido Socialista) Presidente of the Central Bank: Walter Cancela (Frente Amplio, no sector)
See also
External links
- New leftist cabinet launched in Uruguay (XinHua News)
- Uruguay inaugurates first leftist president (Globe&Mail)
- Left-wing Uruguay leader sworn in (BBC News)
| Preceded by: Jorge Batlle Ibáñez | President of Uruguay 2005–present | Succeeded by: Incumbent |
Categories: Politician stubs | South America-related stubs | 1940 births | Current national leaders | Presidents of Uruguay | Socialists
