Alfredo Avelín

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Alfredo Avelín
Governor of San Juan
In office 1999 – 2002
Lieutenant	Wbaldino Acosta
Preceded by	Jorge Escobar
Succeeded by	Wbaldino Acosta
Born	1927
Political party	Alliance for Work, Justice and Education
Profession	Physician

Alfredo Avelín (b. May 1, 1927) is an Argentine politician, physician and author. He served as Governor of his province of San Juan and as a member of the Argentine Senate and Chamber of Deputies.

Of Lebanese descent, Avelín founded the Renewal Crusade party. He became Mayor of the provincial capital San Juan at the age of 31 and was elected to the national Chamber of Deputies for San Juan in 1989 and the Senate in 1992. [1]

On 16 May 1999, Avelín was elected as governor of his province with 55%, heading the list of the Alliance for Work, Justice and Education which would win the Presidency of Argentina later the same year. He defeated the incumbent Governor, Jorge Escobar. His period in office were marked by economic turbulence and public unrest in San Juan, like the country as a whole. By 2001, provincial employees were not paid and the province was insolvent. [2]

Following the downfall of the government of President de la Rua, Avelín was a fierce opponent of the austerity measures proposed by the International Monetary Fund, saying, "The only thing lacking for us is to pull down the Argentine flag and replace it with the IMF's." In 2002, Avelín was impeached and deposed as governor by a majority of provincial deputies following massive demonstrations. [3]

Avelín proposed to stand again for the governorship in 2007 against the incumbent José Luis Gioja. [4] His daughter, Nancy Avelín, who also served as a Senator, was eventually the candidate for the Renewal Crusade that year.

Preceded by Jorge Escobar

Governor of San Juan 1999–2002

Succeeded by Wbaldino Acosta