Rodolfo Nin Novoa

Rodolfo Nin Novoa
Rodolfo Nin in 2007.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay
Incumbent
Assumed office
March 1, 2015
Preceded by Luis Almagro
Senator of the Republic
In office
February 15, 2010 – February 15, 2015
14th Vice President of Uruguay
In office
March 1, 2005 – March 1, 2010
Preceded by Luis Antonio Hierro López
Succeeded by Danilo Astori
Personal details
Born January 25, 1948
Montevideo, Uruguay
Nationality Uruguayan
Political party Broad Front
Progressive Alliance
Spouse(s) Patricia Damiani
Children 4
Residence Montevideo
Religion Roman Catholicism
Signature
This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Nin and the second or maternal family name is Novoa.

Rodolfo Nin Novoa (born 1948) is a Uruguayan politician who was Vice President of Uruguay from 2005 to 2010. He is the leader of Progressive Alliance.

Since March 1, 2015 he is the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay.[1]

Background

He was born into a mixed Armenian-Spanish family. Having originally received a traditional, Roman Catholic education, Nin was a member of the National Party (Uruguay) and mayor in his department (Cerro Largo). He joined the Frente Amplio (Broad Front) only in 1994. Among the issues with which Nin Novoa has been identified has been the successful efforts to prevent the privatization of water supplies and other services, amidst fears of its effects on users living in the interior of the country.

Vice President of Uruguay

Nin Novoa was Vice President of Uruguay, serving under President Tabaré Vázquez, from 2005 to 2010. He succeeded Luis Antonio Hierro López in that office.

Vice President Nin's Chief of Staff, Gonzalo Nin Novoa, has received wide media exposure [2] on various issues including defence procurement and expense claims. By the end of 2007 the Nin brothers were facing hostility from ostensible colleagues, including Juan Domínguez, and others, in the ruling Frente Amplio coalition.

Complex political associations

Nin Novoa's presence in the government of Tabaré Vázquez exemplified the highly diverse nature of the coalition of forces which it represented. He heads the Progressive Alliance, considered one of the rightmost groups of the Broad Front coalition and including the Christian Democratic Party. The Progressive Alliance forms part of the Liber Seregni Front along with Uruguay Assembly of Danilo Astori and New Space of Rafael Michelini, reflecting moderate, centre-left to centrist tendencies.

Relations with radical colleagues and opponents

Having been active in his earlier phase of political life in a conservative party in an area of the Uruguayan interior (Cerro Largo) not known for an overtly radical political culture, Nin Novoa later served in government alongside former Tupamaro radicals, the outlook and priorities of whom are said to differ significantly. Indeed, given his background, Nin Novoa has had to accommodate himself to being sometimes referred to as 'Comrade Nin Novoa', e.g., by Socialist Party spokesmen.[3]

It would be fair to say, also, in the scheme of political associations and rivalries, that Nin Novoa's strongest critics would be numbered among his own political colleagues such as Juan Domínguez, rather than among members of the political opposition to the ruling Frente Amplio government.

Historical note

Nin was the fourteenth person to hold the office of Vice President of Uruguay. The office dates from 1934, when César Charlone became Uruguay's first Vice President.

Foreign Minister of Uruguay

Nin Novoa became Foreign Minister of Uruguay in March 2015, at the beginning of the second term of office of President of Uruguay Tabaré Vázquez.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Government Ministers of Uruguay". rulers.org. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  2. ↑ 'La República' article, April 2, 2008
  3. ↑ Spanish: 'el compañero Nin Novoa'

External links

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