Felipe Sapag
Encyclopedia
Felipe Sapag was an Argentine
politician, governor of Neuquén Province
on five occasions and a leading figure in the Neuquén People's Movement and the locally influential Sapag family.
to Lebanese
immigrants who had moved to Neuquén in 1913. His elder brother was Elías Sapag
, later a senator
, and their younger brothers were Amado and José. Felipe Sapag studied in Zapala and Bahía Blanca
, but could not finish his secondary education due to the hardship his family endured after the 1930 economic collapse. He and his brothers began to work to support the family and moved to Cutral Có
to set up a company. He and his brothers played leading roles in the community, and Felipe founded the local energy co-op and the sports and cultural centre. A Peronist activist, he became a councillor and the first mayor of Cutral-Có in 1952.
Following the military coup d'etat
and the banning of the Peronist movement, Sapag and his brothers, together with Carlos Sobisch, founded the Neuquino People's Movement, a provincial political party able to contest elections. Originally called 'Provincial Politics', it was established on June 4, 1961.
Sapag first stood for governor in March 1962, but the elections
were annulled by the military government. He was elected governor of Neuquén in 1963, gaining 60% of the vote, and left office in June 1966, deposed by the military; among his administration's notable accomplishments were the establishment of the Neuquén Development Corporation (COPADE), the Bank of the Province of Neuquén, and the Universidad Provincial del Neuquén (today the National University of Comahue
).
In 1970, in an unexpected decision, he accepted the offer of the military government to become federal receiver
of the province, ruling it until 1972. The following year he was re-elected governor, but was again removed after the 1976 military coup.
Following the restoration of democracy, Sapag was returned to the governor's post by voters, serving in 1983–87 and 1995–99. Even in old age, he continued to be active in the politics of his province, and despite calls for him to be expelled from the party he helped found for supporting Néstor Kirchner
in the 2003 election
, as well as for his support of members of the Sapag family in their campaigns.
Sapag was married to Estela Romeo. They had four children: Luis Felipe, Silvia Estela, Ricardo, and Enrique. Ricardo and Enrique disappeared in the Dirty War
that followed the 1976 coup, while Luis and Silvia followed their father into politics. The 93-year-old Felipe Sapag died in his home in Neuquén on March 14, 2010; Governor Jorge Sapag
, his nephew, declared seven days of official mourning in his honor.
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
politician, governor of Neuquén Province
Neuquén Province
Neuquén is a province of Argentina, located in the west of the country, at the northern end of Patagonia. It borders Mendoza Province to the north, Rio Negro Province to the southeast, and Chile to the west...
on five occasions and a leading figure in the Neuquén People's Movement and the locally influential Sapag family.
Life and times
Sapag was born in ZapalaZapala
Zapala is a city in the Patagonian province of Neuquén, Argentina with about 32,000 inhabitants according to the .The city is located at the geographic center of the province at the confluence of national and provincial roads, on a route to the Andes and Chile...
to Lebanese
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
immigrants who had moved to Neuquén in 1913. His elder brother was Elías Sapag
Elías Sapag
Elías Canaán Sapag was a Lebanese-born Argentine politician, long-serving senator for Neuquén Province, founder of the Neuquén People's Movement and head of the locally influential Sapag family....
, later a senator
Argentine Senate
The Argentine Senate is the upper house of the Argentine National Congress. It has 72 senators: three for each province and three for the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires...
, and their younger brothers were Amado and José. Felipe Sapag studied in Zapala and Bahía Blanca
Bahía Blanca
Bahía Blanca is a city located in the south-west of the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, by the Atlantic Ocean, and seat of government of Bahía Blanca Partido. It has a population of 274,509 inhabitants according to the...
, but could not finish his secondary education due to the hardship his family endured after the 1930 economic collapse. He and his brothers began to work to support the family and moved to Cutral Có
Cutral Có
Cutral Có is a city in the Confluencia Department of Neuquén Province in Argentina. It is part of the statistical area formed with neighboring Plaza Huincul....
to set up a company. He and his brothers played leading roles in the community, and Felipe founded the local energy co-op and the sports and cultural centre. A Peronist activist, he became a councillor and the first mayor of Cutral-Có in 1952.
Following the military coup d'etat
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
and the banning of the Peronist movement, Sapag and his brothers, together with Carlos Sobisch, founded the Neuquino People's Movement, a provincial political party able to contest elections. Originally called 'Provincial Politics', it was established on June 4, 1961.
Sapag first stood for governor in March 1962, but the elections
Argentine legislative election, 1962
The Argentine legislative elections of 1962 was held on 18 March. Voters chose their legislators and governors; with a turnout of 85.7%, it produced the following results:-Argentine Chamber of Deputies:*Results were annulled on May 1.-Background:...
were annulled by the military government. He was elected governor of Neuquén in 1963, gaining 60% of the vote, and left office in June 1966, deposed by the military; among his administration's notable accomplishments were the establishment of the Neuquén Development Corporation (COPADE), the Bank of the Province of Neuquén, and the Universidad Provincial del Neuquén (today the National University of Comahue
National University of Comahue
The National University of Comahue is an Argentine national university with branches in the provinces of Neuquén, Río Negro and Chubut, with a center in the city of Neuquén and units in Viedma, Bariloche, San Martín de los Andes, Cipolletti, Zapala, Allen, Río Negro, General Roca, Río Negro,...
).
In 1970, in an unexpected decision, he accepted the offer of the military government to become federal receiver
Federal intervention
Federal intervention is an attribution of the federal government of Argentina, by which it takes control of a province in certain extreme cases. Intervention is declared by the President with the assent of the National Congress...
of the province, ruling it until 1972. The following year he was re-elected governor, but was again removed after the 1976 military coup.
Following the restoration of democracy, Sapag was returned to the governor's post by voters, serving in 1983–87 and 1995–99. Even in old age, he continued to be active in the politics of his province, and despite calls for him to be expelled from the party he helped found for supporting Néstor Kirchner
Néstor Kirchner
Néstor Carlos Kirchner was an Argentine politician who served as the 54th President of Argentina from 25 May 2003 until 10 December 2007. Previously, he was Governor of Santa Cruz Province since 10 December 1991. He briefly served as Secretary General of the Union of South American Nations ...
in the 2003 election
Argentine general election, 2003
Argentina held presidential and parliamentary elections on Sunday, April 27, 2003. Turnout was 78.2% and the results were as follows:-Argentine Congress:-Background:...
, as well as for his support of members of the Sapag family in their campaigns.
Sapag was married to Estela Romeo. They had four children: Luis Felipe, Silvia Estela, Ricardo, and Enrique. Ricardo and Enrique disappeared in the Dirty War
Dirty War
The Dirty War was a period of state-sponsored violence in Argentina from 1976 until 1983. Victims of the violence included several thousand left-wing activists, including trade unionists, students, journalists, Marxists, Peronist guerrillas and alleged sympathizers, either proved or suspected...
that followed the 1976 coup, while Luis and Silvia followed their father into politics. The 93-year-old Felipe Sapag died in his home in Neuquén on March 14, 2010; Governor Jorge Sapag
Jorge Sapag
Jorge Augusto Sapag is a politician and lawyer, a member of the Neuquino People's Movement and governor of Neuquén Province since 2007....
, his nephew, declared seven days of official mourning in his honor.