Gerardo Morales
Gerardo Rubén Morales (Born, July 18, 1959) is an Argentine public accountant, teacher, and politician, current governor of the Jujuy Province.
Gerardo Morales | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Governor of Jujuy | |
| Assumed office 10 December 2015 | |
| Vice Governor | Carlos Haquim |
| Preceded by | Eduardo Fellner |
| National Senator | |
| In office December 2001 – 10 December 2015 | |
| Constituency | Jujuy |
| President of the National Committee of the Radical Civic Union | |
| In office 1 December 2006 – 5 December 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Roberto Iglesias |
| Succeeded by | Ernesto Sanz |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 18 July 1959 San Salvador de Jujuy, Argentina |
| Nationality | Argentine |
| Political party | Radical Civic Union |
| Other political affiliations | Juntos por el Cambio (2015–present) |
| Profession | Public accountant |
Birth[change | change source]
Morales was born on July 18, 1959, the grandson of Bolivian immigrants. While some sources says that he was born in San Salvador de Jujuy, others place his birthplace in the city of Salta, capital of the neighboring province of the same name. He himself, however, has stated that he wants to be considered "jujeño".
Education[change | change source]
He completed his university studies at the National University de Jujuy (UNJu). This is where he graduated as a public accountant in the early 1980s. He also worked as a teacher at there. During this period, which saw the recovery and start of democracy in Argentina in 1983, he began his political militancy within the Purple Strip, a university group linked to the Radical Civic Union (UCR), a ruling party at the national level with Raúl Alfonsín. as president.
Governor of Jujuy[change | change source]
Morales was elected governor in 2015. Expecting protests from Milagro Sala, he requested police reinforcements to the national government. He wanted to prevent riots during the end of the year. 43 gendarmeries were sent to Jujuy, but died in a car accident at Rosario de la Frontera, in unclear circumstances.[1]
The Tupac Amaru organization denied the existence of violence in the province, and started a permanent demonstration at the Jujuy plaza.[2] Morales accused the organizations that compose the Tupac Amaru of keeping the social welfare money for themselves, and distributing it only to their political supporters. To reduce their influence, he arranged that those payments should be done through bank accounts and not with cash, to keep track of the money. After a month, he urged the organizations to accept the terms and leave the plaza, or he would revoke their legal authorizations.[3] The Tupac Amaru was split by this, as most organizations accepted Morales' proposal, but Sala and a reduced faction rejected it.[4] Milagro Sala was arrested a few days later, accused of calling to riots and civil disorder.[5]
References[change | change source]
- ↑ "Los gendarmes de la tragedia viajaban a Jujuy para prevenir disturbios" [The gendarmerie of the tragedy were traveling to Jujuy to prevent riots]. La Nación (in Spanish). December 14, 2015. Archived from the original on January 30, 2016. Retrieved January 17, 2016.
- ↑ Brenda Struminger (December 14, 2015). "La Tupac Amaru, sobre el pedido de gendarmes: "No hay violencia en Jujuy, es una fantasía de Gerardo Morales"" [The Tupac Amaru, on the request of gendarmeries: "There is no violence in Jujuy, that's a fantasy of Gerardo Morales"]. La Nación (in Spanish). Archived from the original on January 16, 2016. Retrieved January 17, 2016.
- ↑ "Gerardo Morales emplazó por decreto a la Tupac Amaru: "Después del 14, que les pague Milagro Sala"" [Gerardo Morales urged by decree the Tupac Amaru: "After the 14, let Milagro Sala pay them"]. La Nación (in Spanish). January 13, 2016. Archived from the original on October 21, 2016. Retrieved January 17, 2016.
- ↑ Lucrecia Bullrich (January 14, 2016). "Ultimátum de Morales a Sala por el control de los planes en Jujuy, pero sigue el acampe" [Ultimatum of Morales to Sala for the control of the plans in Jujuy, the camping continues]. La Nación (in Spanish). Archived from the original on January 18, 2016. Retrieved January 17, 2016.
- ↑ "Detuvieron a Milagro Sala en Jujuy por el acampe contra Gerardo Morales" [Milagro Sala was detained in Jujuy for the camping against Gerardo Morales]. La Nación (in Spanish). January 16, 2016. Archived from the original on February 13, 2017. Retrieved January 17, 2016.