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==Work and political life== |
==Work and political life== |
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López |
López began his professional career as an economic consultant to the Vice-President of Planning of Petroleos de Venezuela S.A (PDVSA) between 1996 and 1999. He also taught Institutional Economy as a member of the Economics Department of the Universidad Catolica Andres Bello (UCAB). .[3] |
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In 2000, Leopoldo López was elected mayor of the Municipality of Chacao, one of the five municipalities that constitute the city of Caracas—, obtaining 51% of the vote. In October 2004, he was re-elected, obtaining 81% of the vote. Today, Lopez’s approval ratings stand at over 90%, the highest among the five municipalities that compose Caracas. In 2006, Transparency International named Chacao the most transparent municipality in all of Venezuela. |
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López cofounded the [[Justice First|Primero Justicia]] political party . In 2007 he joined [[Un Nuevo Tiempo]], the most voted party among Venezuela's opposition.<ref name="venevision20070303">{{Cite web|url=http://noticiero.venevision.net/index_not.asp?id_noticia=20070303000601&id_seccion=01|title=Un Nuevo Tiempo juramentó nueva comisión política|accessdate=2007-03-04|publisher=[[Venevisión]]|date=[[2007-03-03]]}}{{es icon}}</ref> |
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Mayor Lopez co-founded the political party Primero Justicia and was a member of its board of directors [3][2]. In 2006, Lopez volunteered to aid with the presidential campaign. Shortly after in 2007, he joined Un Nuevo Tiempo (UNT). Today UNT is the largest party among Venezuela’s opposition. |
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Leopoldo is known as an immensely popular leader of the opposition who is actually building an alternative and also, as a social activist working on the promotion of legal equality. |
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Leopoldo López was elected mayor of the [[Chacao Municipality, Miranda|Chacao Municipality]] in [[July 2000]], obtaining 51% of the vote. In [[October 2004]], he was re-elected, obtaining 81% of the vote. In 2006, He volunteered to aid [[Manuel Rosales]]' 2006 campaign for the [[Venezuelan presidential election, 2006|presidency of Venezuela]].<ref>[http://www.globovision.com/news.php?nid=36503 Dirigentes de PJ recorrieron el Oeste de Caracas en campaña por Manuel Rosales.] ''[[Globovisión]]'' (27 August 2006). {{es_icon}}</ref> |
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Revision as of 15:30, 9 December 2007
Leopoldo López | |
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Mayor of Chacao | |
Assumed office 2000 | |
Preceded by | Irene Sáez |
Personal details | |
Born | Caracas, Venezuela | April 29, 1971
Political party | Un Nuevo Tiempo |
Spouse | Lilian Tintori |
Residence | Caracas |
Leopoldo López is a Venezuelan politician. Since 2000, López has been the mayor of the Chacao Municipality of Caracas. A Los Angeles Times article describes López as an immensely popular leader of the opposition, as well as a social activist working for "grass-roots judicial reform". [1]
A leading Venezuelan newspaper, El Nacional, named López its 2003 Person of the Year, describing him as one of the most notable leaders of the opposition to Chávez and as the best mayor of the metropolitan area of Caracas.[2]
Early life and education
Leopoldo López was born in Caracas on April 291971. López spent his early years studying at the Colegio Santiago de León de Caracas. Between 1989 and 1993, he studied Economics at Kenyon College in Ohio. He subsequently attended Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government where he obtained a Master's degree in Public Policy in 1996.[3] In 2007, he received an honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from his Alma Mater, Kenyon College. [4]
Work and political life
López began his professional career as an economic consultant to the Vice-President of Planning of Petroleos de Venezuela S.A (PDVSA) between 1996 and 1999. He also taught Institutional Economy as a member of the Economics Department of the Universidad Catolica Andres Bello (UCAB). .[3]
In 2000, Leopoldo López was elected mayor of the Municipality of Chacao, one of the five municipalities that constitute the city of Caracas—, obtaining 51% of the vote. In October 2004, he was re-elected, obtaining 81% of the vote. Today, Lopez’s approval ratings stand at over 90%, the highest among the five municipalities that compose Caracas. In 2006, Transparency International named Chacao the most transparent municipality in all of Venezuela.
Mayor Lopez co-founded the political party Primero Justicia and was a member of its board of directors [3][2]. In 2006, Lopez volunteered to aid with the presidential campaign. Shortly after in 2007, he joined Un Nuevo Tiempo (UNT). Today UNT is the largest party among Venezuela’s opposition.
Leopoldo is known as an immensely popular leader of the opposition who is actually building an alternative and also, as a social activist working on the promotion of legal equality.
Target of violence
As a leader of the opposition to Chávez, López has experienced several violent attacks: he has been shot at, held hostage in February 2006 by armed thugs at a university where he was speaking, and in March 2006, his bodyguard was shot six times and killed as he sat in the passenger seat normally occupied by López. [1]
According to an article in the Los Angeles Times, López says "his real offense is that he poses an electoral threat as he builds a social democratic alternative to the socialist, anti-American 'Bolivarian Revolution'."[1] According to the Times article, Chávez critics say all government dissidents are being targeted, but "Lopez seems to be the object of a full-out campaign".[1] The United States Department of State mentioned actions taken against López by the Venezuelan government in its annual Country Report on Human Rights Practices.[5]
Investigations and accusations of corruption
According to the Venezuelan Controller General, López received a grant to his former party, Justice First, from Petróleos de Venezuela while working in this company. The grant was given by his mother, Antonieta Mendoza de López, who was the manager of public affairs of PDVSA. Both were sanctioned with a prohibition of holding public jobs for three years. López will start this sanction as soon as his term as mayor ends.[6][7]
Notes
- ^ a b c d Kraul, Chris. A Lightning Rod for Venezuela's Political Strife. Los Angeles Times (19 July 2006). Online here.
- ^ Pereira, Javier. Personaje del año. El Nacional Accessed 23 September 2006. Template:Es icon
- ^ LEOPOLDO LÓPEZ. Accessed 24 September 2006. Template:Es icon
- ^ Kenion College — Honors day. Accessed 30 August2007.
- ^ U.S. State Department (2005). Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Venezuela. (8 March 2006).
- ^ El Tiempo. Contraloría inhabilitó al alcalde Leopoldo López. Also available at http://web.archive.org/web/20070815104623/http://www.eltiempo.com.ve/noticias/default.asp?id=76134 (13 June 2006). Accessed 13 November 2006.Template:Es icon
- ^ El Universal. Contraloría inhabilita por tres años a Leopoldo López para las funciones públicas. (12 June 2006). Accessed 14 November 2006.Template:Es icon