Leopoldo López
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Leopoldo Eduardo López Mendoza | |
 Leopoldo López |
|
| Mayor of Chacao | |
|---|---|
| Preceded by | Irene Sáez Conde |
| Born | April 29, 1971 Caracas, Venezuela |
| Residence | Caracas |
| Political party | Primero Justicia |
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 to Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez, and 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 one of best mayors of the metropolitan area of Caracas.[2]
Contents |
[edit] Early life and education
Leopoldo López was born in Caracas on April 29, 1971. 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] López also has a sociology degree, and studied philosophy and economics at the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello (UCAB).[2]
López is the grandson of former Venezuelan Secretary of Agriculture Eduardo Mendoza Goiticoa.[1]
[edit] Early work and political life
López worked as an economic consultant to the Planning Vice-President in Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA) between 1996 and 1999, and has served as a professor of Institutional Economy in the Economics Department at UCAB.[3] López was a cofounder of the Primero Justicia political party and was a member of its board of directors.[3][2]
Leopoldo López was elected mayor of the Chacao Municipality in July 2000 by a slim majority, obtaining 51% of the vote. In October 2004, he was re-elected, obtaining 81% of the vote. He volunteered for Manuel Rosales' 2006 campaign for the presidency of Venezuela.[4]
[edit] 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 personal bodyguard and driver 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 a fiscally conservative alternative to the socialist, anti-American 'Bolivarian Revolution' espoused by Chavez."[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] The Times article reports that López fears for his life, and that the killing of his bodyguard was meant to send the message that , "we can kill you any time we want, in your own car, in your own municipality," according to López. "Lopez's administration at times has seemed under siege. In October, 40 officers with the pro-Chavez metropolitan police force took over the Chacao police station. Brandishing pistols and at least one machine gun, they freed a man the local force had arrested on arms possession charges," according to the LA Times article.[1]
[edit] Investigations and accusations of corruption
Twenty-six penal investigations have been opened against López by the Venezuelan Attorney General’s Office, he has 10 pending lawsuits against him[citation needed]. He has been politically interdicted until the year 2020[citation needed], which means he cannot run for any elected position. The People’s Defender has accused him of being an assassin[citation needed], the National Electoral Council has imposed fines totalling Bs. 34 million due to his involvement in the Rosales’ campaign[citation needed].
According to the Venezuelan Controller General, Lopez received a grant to his party, Justice First, from PDVSA 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, who has numerous other pending sanctions[citation needed] will start this particular sanction as soon as his term as major ends.[6][7]
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b c d e Kraul, Chris. A Lightning Rod for Venezuela's Political Strife. Los Angeles Times (19 July 2006). Online here.
- ^ a b c Pereira, Javier. Personaje del año. El Nacional Accessed 23 September 2006. (Spanish)
- ^ a b c LEOPOLDO EDUARDO LÓPEZ MENDOZA. Accessed 24 September 2006. (Spanish)
- ^ Dirigentes de Primero Justicia recorrieron el Oeste de Caracas en campaña por Manuel Rosales. Globovisión (27 August 2006). (Spanish)
- ^ U.S. State Department (2005). Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Venezuela. (8 March 2006).
- ^ El Tiempo. Contraloría inhabilitó al alcalde Leopoldo López. (13 June 2006). Accessed 13 November 2006.(Spanish)
- ^ El Universal. Contraloría inhabilita por tres años a Leopoldo López para las funciones públicas. (12 June 2006). Accessed 14 November 2006.(Spanish)
