Ernesto Sanz (born 9 December 1956) is a former Argentine politician of the
Radical Civic Union and one of the founders of
Cambiemos
( en, Together for Change) is a centre-right political coalition in Argentina. It was created in 2015 as Cambiemos ( en, Let's Change), and renamed in 2019. It is composed of Republican Proposal, Radical Civic Union, Civic Coalition ARI and U ...
. He served in the
Argentine Senate representing
Mendoza Province
Mendoza, officially Province of Mendoza, is a province of Argentina, in the western central part of the country in the Cuyo region. It borders San Juan to the north, La Pampa and Neuquén to the south, San Luis to the east, and the republic o ...
from 2003 to 2015.
Early life and education
Sanz was born in
San Rafael, Mendoza
San Rafael is a city in the southern region of the Mendoza Province, Argentina. With more than 118,000 inhabitants (), it is the largest city in and the seat of San Rafael Department.
The city is located 240 km from the provincial capital ...
. He enrolled at the
National University of the Littoral, and earned a
law degree in 1981. Sanz married Cristina Bessone, and the couple had two children. Following the return of democracy in 1983, he became an adviser to the
Governor of Mendoza,
Santiago Llaver. He also taught at the
National University of Cuyo
The National University of Cuyo ( es, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, UNCuyo) is the largest center of higher education in the province of Mendoza, Argentina.
As of 2005, the university had 12 academic schools in the city of Mendoza and a delegat ...
Law School from 1984 to 1986, and maintained a private practice.
[Senate profile]
/ref>
Political career
He was elected to the UCR Youth Chapter's National Committee in 1987, and as President of the San Rafael Department chapter of the UCR in 1991. He served as a provincial senator from 1993, acting as President of the UCR caucus from 1995, and in 1999 became mayor of San Rafael.[
]
National Senator
Sanz was elected Senator for Mendoza in 2003. He joined the Senate Budget and Domestic Economic Policy committees, and later the Constitutional, Investment, Argentina-Chile relations, and Federal Budget Sharing committees, among others. He was elected ranking member
In United States politics, a ranking member is the most senior member of a congressional or state legislative committee from the minority party. On many committees the ranking minority member, along with the Chair, serve as '' ex officio'' member ...
of the Budget Committee, and in 2007, leader of the UCR Senate caucus.[ Sanz ran for Vice-Governor with ]Roberto Iglesias
Roberto Raúl Iglesias (born 25 February 1951) is an Argentine Radical Civic Union (UCR) politician, a former leader of the party and formerly a deputy and governor of Mendoza Province.
Iglesias was born in Mendoza, Argentina, and enrolled at ...
in 2007; the ticket, however, was defeated by Justicialist Party candidate Celso Jaque
Celso Alejandro Jaque (born September 24, 1960) is an Argentine Justicialist Party (PJ) politician, former Argentine Ambassador to Colombia, former governor of Mendoza Province and a former senator.
Born in Malargüe, Mendoza, Jaque graduated as ...
, and finished in fourth place with 10% of the vote. Sanz suffered an automobile accident in March 2008 while driving along the Atuel River
The Atuel River is a river located mainly in the south of the Argentine province of Mendoza, with its last part in La Pampa. It is a tributary of the Desaguadero River.
The Atuel is the longest river in Mendoza. It is born in the Andes range, a ...
in Mendoza; he recovered quickly. Sanz was reelected to the Senate in a landslide in 2009.
UCR National Committee president
In December 2009, Sanz was elected President of the UCR National Committee. On 2 March 2011 he announced his candidacy for the UCR presidential primary scheduled for 30 April. His chief opponent, Congressman Ricardo Alfonsín
Ricardo Luis Alfonsín (born 2 November 1951) is an Argentine lawyer, academic and politician prominent in the Radical Civic Union. His father, Raúl Alfonsín, was the President of Argentina from 1983 to 1989. Since 2019, he has been Argentina ...
, was described by Sanz as "an appeal to nostalgia" (in reference to the latter's father, former President Raúl Alfonsín
Raúl Ricardo Alfonsín (12 March 1927 – 31 March 2009) was an Argentine lawyer and statesman who served as President of Argentina from 10 December 1983 to 8 July 1989. He was the first democratically elected president after more than ...
).''Buenos Aires Herald'': Sanz launches presidential bid
Sanz withdrew shortly before the 28 April primary, however, and Alfonsín himself placed third in the 2011 general election.
The UCR organized the Broad Front UNEN
Broad Front UNEN ( es, Frente Amplio UNEN) was an center-left political coalition in Argentina. It arose through an alliance between Radical Civic Union, Civic Coalition ARI, Proyecto Sur, Freemen of the South Movement, Socialist Party, Authen ...
political coalition, but it stayed behind in the opinion polls for the 2015 elections.
At the radical convention on 14 March 2015 in Gualeguaychú (Entre Ríos), Sanz and Cobos presented their proposals: Cobos proposed a front of center-left
Centre-left politics lean to the left on the left–right political spectrum but are closer to the centre than other left-wing politics. Those on the centre-left believe in working within the established systems to improve social justice. The ce ...
parties, while Ernesto Sanz proposed that the Radical Civic Union lead a broad coalition opposing Kirchnerism
Kirchnerism ( es, Kirchnerismo ) is an Argentine political movement based on populist ideals formed by the supporters of Néstor Kirchner and his wife Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who consecutively served as Presidents of Argentina. Althou ...
for the presidential elections of 25 October, which includes the ARI Civic Coalition led by Elisa Carrió
Elisa María Avelina "Lilita" Carrió (born 26 December 1956) is an Argentine lawyer, professor, and politician. She is the leader of Civic Coalition ARI, one of the founders of Cambiemos, and was National Deputy for Chaco Province and Buenos A ...
and the Republican Proposal (PRO) of Macri.
Cobos, supported by Gerardo Morales and Deputy Ricardo Alfonsin, obtained 114 votes, while the position held by those who supported Sanz reached 186 votes.
The UCR joined Macri's Republican Proposal
Republican Proposal ( es, link=no, Propuesta Republicana) is a centre-right
political party in Argentina. It is usually referred to by its abbreviation, PRO. PRO was formed as an electoral alliance in 2005, but was transformed into a national p ...
to create the Cambiemos
( en, Together for Change) is a centre-right political coalition in Argentina. It was created in 2015 as Cambiemos ( en, Let's Change), and renamed in 2019. It is composed of Republican Proposal, Radical Civic Union, Civic Coalition ARI and U ...
coalition. Macri, Sanz and Elisa Carrió
Elisa María Avelina "Lilita" Carrió (born 26 December 1956) is an Argentine lawyer, professor, and politician. She is the leader of Civic Coalition ARI, one of the founders of Cambiemos, and was National Deputy for Chaco Province and Buenos A ...
ran for the coalition's primary election, which was won by Macri. Macri won the presidential elections afterwards. It was rumored that Sanz would be the minister of Justice
A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a ...
in Macri's cabinet, but he retired from politics for personal reasons.
References
External links
Official Website
(Spanish)
Official Blog
(Spanish)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sanz, Ernesto
1956 births
Living people
People from Mendoza Province
Argentine people of Spanish descent
National University of the Littoral alumni
Mayors of places in Argentina
Members of the Argentine Senate for Mendoza
Radical Civic Union politicians