Efraín Alegre
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Pedro Efraín Alegre Sasiain (born 18 January 1963) is a Paraguayan politician, lawyer, and university professor, who served as president of the
Authentic Radical Liberal Party The Authentic Radical Liberal Party ( or ''PLRA'') is a liberal and radical political party in Paraguay. The party is a full member of Liberal International. The ''liberales'', as they are known, are the leading opposition to the dominant con ...
from 2016 to 2023. For ten years he was the most prominent leader of the opposition to the Colorado Party, running unsuccessfully against its candidates in the presidential elections of
2013 2013 was the first year since 1987 to contain four unique digits (a span of 26 years). 2013 was designated as: *International Year of Water Cooperation *International Year of Quinoa Events January * January 5 – 2013 Craig, Alask ...
,
2018 Events January * January 1 – Bulgaria takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, after the Estonian presidency. * January 4 – SPLM-IO rebels loyal to Chan Garang Lual start a raid against Juba, capital of ...
and
2023 Catastrophic natural disasters in 2023 included the Lists of 21st-century earthquakes, 5th-deadliest earthquake of the 21st century 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, striking Turkey and Syria, leaving up to 62,000 people dead; Cyclone Freddy ...
. Alegre served as National Deputy from 1998 to 2008, president of the Chamber of Deputies from 2000 to 2001;
Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...
in 2008; and Minister of Public Work and Communications from 2008 to 2011 in the cabinet of
Fernando Lugo Fernando Armindo Lugo Méndez (; born 30 May 1951) is a Paraguayan politician and Loss of clerical state, laicized Bishops in the Catholic Church, Catholic bishop who was President of Paraguay from 2008 to 2012. Previously, he was a Roman Cath ...
.


Biography


Early life and education

Alegre was born on 18 January 1963 in San Juan Bautista,
Misiones Department Misiones () is a Departments of Paraguay, department located in the southern region of Paraguay. Its capital is San Juan Bautista, Paraguay, San Juan Bautista. The eighth of Paraguay's 17 departments, it was created in 1906, then known as the ' ...
,
Paraguay Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the Argentina–Paraguay border, south and southwest, Brazil to the Brazil–Paraguay border, east and northeast, and Boli ...
, the son of Carlos Alegre and Irma Sasiain. Alegre studied law at the Catholic University of Asunción, before completing a master's degree in political science from the
Universidad Nacional de Asunción The Universidad Nacional de Asunción or Mbo'ehaovusu Tetãgua Paraguaygua, abbreviated UNA, anglicized as, The National University of Asuncion, is a public university founded in San Lorenzo, Paraguay. Founded in 1889, it is the oldest and most ...
. Alegre also earned a postgraduate degrees in community law from the
University of Salamanca The University of Salamanca () is a public university, public research university in Salamanca, Spain. Founded in 1218 by Alfonso IX of León, King Alfonso IX, it is the oldest university in the Hispanic world and the fourth oldest in the ...
in
Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
, and senior management at Austral University in
Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...
,
Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
.


Personal life

Alegre is a practicing
Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
, and has voiced his opposition to
abortion Abortion is the early termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. Abortions that occur without intervention are known as miscarriages or "spontaneous abortions", and occur in roughly 30–40% of all pregnan ...
and
same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same legal Legal sex and gender, sex. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 38 countries, with a total population of 1.5 ...
. He is married to Mirian Graciela Irún Aquino, with whom he has four children, Efraín, Nadia, Lucas, and Eliane.


Politics


Beginnings (1983-1998)

In 1983, Alegre joined the youth wing of the
Authentic Radical Liberal Party The Authentic Radical Liberal Party ( or ''PLRA'') is a liberal and radical political party in Paraguay. The party is a full member of Liberal International. The ''liberales'', as they are known, are the leading opposition to the dominant con ...
(PLRA), belonging in a faction that supported Domingo Laíno. He served as the wing's president in 1992. Alegre served in the government of
Central Department Central () is a Departments of Paraguay, department in Paraguay. The capital is Areguá. With 1,883,927 inhabitants, it is the most populated of the 17 departments of Paraguay. It is also the smallest department, with a total area of . Geogra ...
under Luis Alberto Wagner between 1993 and 1998, serving as its secretary general. In 1995, Alegre was elected to serve as a member of the PLRA's national board.


Chamber of Deputies (1998-2008)

In 1998, Alegre was elected as a deputy for Central Department, sitting in the
Chamber of Deputies The chamber of deputies is the lower house in many bicameral legislatures and the sole house in some unicameral legislatures. Description Historically, French Chamber of Deputies was the lower house of the French Parliament during the Bourb ...
. Alegre went on to serve as its
president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...
between 2000 and 2001. Alegre was re-elected in the 2003 general election. He resigned in 2008 in order to accept a seat in the
Senate of Paraguay The Chamber of Senators of Paraguay (''Cámara de Senadores''), the upper house of the National Congress, has 45 members, elected for a five-year term by proportional representation. The Paraguayan bicameral legislature, which included the Sena ...
.


Senate of Paraguay (2008)

During his time as senator, Alegre put forward several successful bills, including the introduction of a national tourism security system; making psychological evaluation a requirement of joining the
National Police of Paraguay The National Police of Paraguay (, PNP) is the main law-enforcement agency in Paraguay, operating under the auspices of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. It is responsible for ensuring the internal security of the nation. History The first Paragu ...
and implementing road safety as a part of the national education curriculum. Alegre resigned as senator in order to accept a role in the Ministry of Public Works and Communications.


Ministry of Public Works and Communications (2008-2011)

Alegre accepted the role of Minister of Public Works and Communications in the cabinet of
Fernando Lugo Fernando Armindo Lugo Méndez (; born 30 May 1951) is a Paraguayan politician and Loss of clerical state, laicized Bishops in the Catholic Church, Catholic bishop who was President of Paraguay from 2008 to 2012. Previously, he was a Roman Cath ...
. During his tenure, the Ministry underwent a tripling of its budget, with an investment of $600 million. One of the most significant projects undergone by Alegre was the construction of the Avenida Costanera in Asunción, the ground-breaking of which commenced in May 2020 with Lugo present, as well as Miguel Carrizosa, the president of the
Congress of Paraguay Paraguay's bicameral Congress ''(Congreso)'' consists of a 45-member Senate and an 80-member Chamber of Deputies. It serves as the legislative branch of the Paraguayan state. Both chambers of Congress are elected concurrently with the presid ...
, and Evanhy de Gallegos, the mayor of Asunción. Alegre also established road maintenance programmes covering all asphalt roads in Paraguay, as well as projects focused on reconstructing and reinforcing the country's bridges and implementing measures to ensure the transparency of the Ministry of Public Works and Communications. Public opinion of Alegre during his tenure was positive, with particular praise for the construction of the Avenida Costanera and an aqueduct in Chaco, and additions to
Silvio Pettirossi International Airport Silvio Pettirossi International Airport is an international airport in Luque, Paraguay, which serves Paraguay's capital city, Asunción, and indirectly serves the nearby city of Clorinda, Formosa, in Argentina. The airport is named after Paragua ...
, as well as his focus on restoring and maintaining Paraguay's architectural heritage. However, Alegre was criticised by Lugo and other members of his cabinet for alleged managerial irregularities. On 17 June 2011, Alegre was removed from his position as minister and replaced by Cecilio Pérez. In the days following Alegre's removal, there was a mass resignation of Ministry of Public Works and Communications workers, who stated that the values of the Ministry and Alegre was contrary to the values of Lugo's government.


2013 presidential campaign

In August 2012, the National Directorate of the PLRA announced that Alegre had been selected as the consensus candidate for Paraguay's opposition parties, under a coalition called Paraguay Alegre. Alegre's running mate was Rafael Filizzola of the Progressive Democratic Party. Two months before the election,
Lino Oviedo Lino César Oviedo Silva (23 September 1943 – 2 February 2013) was a Paraguayan army officer and politician, who was the leader of the National Union of Ethical Citizens, which split from the Colorado Party (Paraguay), Colorado Party in 2002. ...
, the presidential candidate of the
National Union of Ethical Citizens The National Union of Ethical Citizens (, UNACE) is a right-wing populist political party in Paraguay. History The party was established in 2002, although its predecessor, the ''Unión Nacional de Colorados Éticos'', was founded in 1996 as a f ...
, died in a plane crash. His party, as well as his widow Raquel Marín, released a statement of support for Alegre, describing him as the candidate most likely to achieve Oviedo's hope of preventing a government led by
Horacio Cartes Horacio Manuel Cartes Jara (; born 5 July 1956) is a Paraguayan politician and businessman who is serving as president of the Colorado Party (Paraguay), Colorado Party since 2023, having previously served as president of Paraguay from 2013 to 2 ...
. During his campaign, Alegre called for Paraguay not to return to the past and stressed the need to defeat narcopolitics, which many believed was a reference to Cartes, who was suspected of having ties to illegal organisations. In the 2013 general election, Alegre lost the presidential election to Cartes.


Presidency of the Authentical Radical Liberal Party (2016-present)

On 16 June 2016, Alegre was elected as president of the PLRA, defeating Líder Amarilla and Salyn Buzarquis with 38.9% of the vote. He ran on the campaign slogan "away from Cartes, close to the people". On 20 June 2021, Alegre was re-elected president of the PLRA, defeating Buzarquis and Carlos Silva with 34.9% of the vote.


2018 presidential campaign

Alegre was again elected as the presidential candidate of the PLRA on 17 December 2017, defeating Carlos Mateo Balmelli, and served as the candidate for the
Great Renewed National Alliance Great Renewed National Alliance (), also known as GANAR Alliance () or by its acronym GANAR (literally "WIN"), is a political coalition of opposition parties, formed in 2017 in Paraguay by members of the Authentic Radical Liberal Party, the Revol ...
of opposition parties. His running mate was Leonardo Rubín of the
Guasú Front The Guasú Front (; ''Guasú'' being the Guarani language, Guarani word for "big", "large" or "great") is a Democratic socialism, democratic socialist electoral alliance in Paraguay for the 2013 Paraguayan general election, general election in ...
. During his campaign, Alegre promised to use executive power to make law a reduction in energy costs; free public health services; improved education; transparency in the civil service; and better safety. In some areas, polling showed Alegre ahead of the Colorado Party's candidate,
Mario Abdo Benítez Mario Abdo Benítez (; born 10 November 1971) is a Paraguayan politician who served as the 51st president of Paraguay from 2018 to 2023. He was previously a Senate of Paraguay, senator and served as List of presidents of the Senate of Paraguay, ...
, in areas including Asunción and departments like Central, Concepción, San Pedro,
Cordillera A cordillera is a chain or network of mountain ranges, such as those in the west coast of the Americas. The term is borrowed from Spanish, where the word comes from , a diminutive of ('rope'). The term is most commonly used in physical geogra ...
, Guairá, Caaguazú,
Caazapá Caazapá () is a city in Paraguay, founded in 1607, by Friar Luis de Bolaños. It is located in the Caazapá District and is the capital of the Caazapá Department. There are five neighbourhoods called "Barrios" in the city: Then main one is the ...
,
Itapúa Itapúa () is a department in the southern region of Paraguay. The capital is the city of Encarnación. It is divided into 30 districts, more than any other department in the country. History This department was created after the breakup of the ...
,
Misiones Misiones (, ''Missions'') is one of the 23 provinces of Argentina, located in the northeastern corner of the country in the Mesopotamia region. It is surrounded by Paraguay to the northwest, Brazil to the north, east and south, and Corrientes P ...
,
Paraguarí Paraguarí (; ) is a city, '' distrito'' and capital of Paraguarí Department in Paraguay, located 66 km from the country's capital, Asunción. At the 2002 census it had a population of 22,154.
,
Alto Paraná Alto Paraná (; ''Upper Paraná'') is a Department (subnational entity), department in Paraguay. The capital is Ciudad del Este (formerly known as Puerto Presidente Stroessner, originally Puerto Flor de Lis). The Alto Paraná department has exper ...
, and
Amambay Amambay () is a department in Paraguay. The capital is Pedro Juan Caballero. The name comes from the name of a part of the Caaguazú Cordillera, " Amambai Mountains". Amambay is the name of a fern, typical of the forest in the region. Dist ...
. In the 2018 general election, Alegre was defeated by Abdo Benítez by a margin of 3.7%.


2023 presidential election

In December 2022, Alegre was formally announced as the presidential candidate of the
Concertación The Concertación, officially the Concertación de Partidos por la Democracia (; ), was a coalition of center-left political parties in Chile, founded in 1988. Presidential candidates under its banner won every election from when military rul ...
coalition of opposition parties, originally comprising 23 parties from the left and right of the political spectrum. On 16 August 2022, Alegre had confirmed that his running mate would be Soledad Núñez of the Awakening Movement. During the campaign, Alegre has promised to utilise electrical energy generated by dams in Itaipu and Yacyretá. He has also voiced his intent to imprison members of the Cartes family for their links to organised crime. In mid-January 2023, Alegre started his "Tour for Change", in which he visited each of Paraguay's 17
departments Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military * Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...
in 17 days.


References


External links


Official 2013 campaign website
(via
Wayback Machine The Wayback Machine is a digital archive of the World Wide Web founded by Internet Archive, an American nonprofit organization based in San Francisco, California. Launched for public access in 2001, the service allows users to go "back in ...
) {{DEFAULTSORT:Alegre, Efrain 1963 births Living people People from Misiones Department Paraguayan people of Spanish descent Authentic Radical Liberal Party politicians Government ministers of Paraguay Presidents of the Chamber of Deputies of Paraguay 20th-century Paraguayan lawyers Universidad Católica Nuestra Señora de la Asunción alumni University of Salamanca alumni Austral University alumni 20th-century Paraguayan politicians 21st-century Paraguayan politicians