María Julia Alsogaray
Encyclopedia
María Julia Alsogaray is an Argentine
politician convicted for financial crimes against the state.
, she was born in Buenos Aires
and became an engineer
. She was elected to Congress in 1985
on her father's ticket, the Union of the Democratic Centre
(UCeDé), and became an outspoken defender of free market
s during the presidency of Raúl Alfonsín
.
The UCeDé became a close ally of Justicialist Party
nominee Carlos Menem
after the 1989 election
(in which Menem ran as a populist
), and Alsogaray was put in charge of the privatization
of the ENTel
state phone company in 1990, and the Somisa state steel works in 1991. The latter post garnered Alsogaray disapproval when Somisa was sold to Techint
in 1992 for US$152 million - one seventh the book value Jorge Triaca, her predecessor at Somisa, had estimated.
Her personal life also attracted controversy following a July 1990 photo shoot for Noticias
, Argentina's leading newsmagazine. The suggestive photo spread was accompanied by an interview in which her relationship with the recently divorced President Menem was discussed. Alsogaray was appointed Secretary of the Environment and Natural Resources in November 1991, something she attributed in a Clarín
interview at the time to the "trust the President has deposited in me."
Alsogaray's tenure at Environment Secretariat, which was elevated to a cabinet level post by the President, was marked by a number of scandals of a policy nature, notably in regard to her handling of a serious, 1996 forest fire in the vicinity of Nahuel Huapi National Park
, a 1999 flood in the humid northeast
region, and, particularly, of a 1993 plan to decontaminate the Riachuelo (a heavily polluted waterway along Buenos Aires' industrial southside).
Alsogaray obtained a US$250 million loan from the IADB
for the purpose; of this, however, US$150 million were destined to unrelated social projects, six million were lost in IADB fines, US$90 million remained unallocated, and only one million was used for the actual cleanup (The Riachuelo's condition did not improve under subsequent administrations). Her own position within the right-wing UCeDé, at the helm of which she succeeded her father in 1994, became jeopardized by a rivalry with the party's second-ranking figure, National Mortagge Bank
Director Adelina D'Alessio de Viola.
Upon stepping down when President Menem left office in 1999, financial transactions in her name totaling over US$200 million came under scrutiny, and Alsogaray was ultimately convicted of misappropriation of public funds in 2004. Following a number of appeals and pursuant to her conviction, her Recoleta
neighborhood townhouse was auctioned by a federal court in 2009.
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 convicted for financial crimes against the state.
Life and times
The daughter of conservative politician Álvaro AlsogarayÁlvaro Alsogaray
Álvaro Carlos Alsogaray was an Argentine politician and businessman. Minister of Economy during much of the 1959-62 period, he was one of the principal proponents of economic conservatism in modern Argentina.-Early career:...
, she was born in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
and became an engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
. She was elected to Congress in 1985
Argentine legislative election, 1985
The Argentine legislative elections of 1985 were held on 3 November. Voters chose their legislators and, with a turnout of 83.8%, it produced the following results:-Argentine Congress:-Background:...
on her father's ticket, the Union of the Democratic Centre
Union of the Democratic Centre (Argentina)
The Union of the Democratic Centre is a conservative political party in Argentina. It was founded in 1982 by Álvaro Alsogaray who stood for the Party in the 1983 and 1989 presidential elections....
(UCeDé), and became an outspoken defender of free market
Free market
A free market is a competitive market where prices are determined by supply and demand. However, the term is also commonly used for markets in which economic intervention and regulation by the state is limited to tax collection, and enforcement of private ownership and contracts...
s during the presidency of Raúl Alfonsín
Raúl Alfonsín
Raúl Ricardo Alfonsín was an Argentine lawyer, politician and statesman, who served as the President of Argentina from December 10, 1983, to July 8, 1989. Alfonsín was the first democratically-elected president of Argentina following the military government known as the National Reorganization...
.
The UCeDé became a close ally of Justicialist Party
Justicialist Party
The Justicialist Party , or PJ, is a Peronist political party in Argentina, and the largest component of the Peronist movement.The party was led by Néstor Kirchner, President of Argentina from 2003 to 2007, until his death on October 27, 2010. The current Argentine president, Cristina Fernández de...
nominee Carlos Menem
Carlos Menem
Carlos Saúl Menem is an Argentine politician who was President of Argentina from 1989 to 1999. He is currently an Argentine National Senator for La Rioja Province.-Early life:...
after the 1989 election
Argentine general election, 1989
The Argentine general election of 1989 was held on 14 May. Voters chose both the President and their legislators and with a turnout of 85.3%, it produced the following results:-President:aAbstentions.-Argentine Congress:...
(in which Menem ran as a populist
Populism
Populism can be defined as an ideology, political philosophy, or type of discourse. Generally, a common theme compares "the people" against "the elite", and urges social and political system changes. It can also be defined as a rhetorical style employed by members of various political or social...
), and Alsogaray was put in charge of the privatization
Privatization
Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of a business, enterprise, agency or public service from the public sector to the private sector or to private non-profit organizations...
of the ENTel
ENTel
The Empresa Nacional de Telecomunicaciones was an Argentine state owned company which had the monopoly on public telecommunications in the country until its privatization in 1990.-Overview:...
state phone company in 1990, and the Somisa state steel works in 1991. The latter post garnered Alsogaray disapproval when Somisa was sold to Techint
Techint
Techint is a conglomerate multinational company founded in Milan in September 1945 by Italian industrialist Agostino Rocca and headquartered in Milan and Buenos Aires . Techint comprises more than 100 companies operating worldwide in the following areas of business: Engineering & Construction,...
in 1992 for US$152 million - one seventh the book value Jorge Triaca, her predecessor at Somisa, had estimated.
Her personal life also attracted controversy following a July 1990 photo shoot for Noticias
Noticias (magazine)
Noticias de la Semana is a weekly newsmagazine in Spanish published in Argentina, where it is known simply as Noticias . Founded and published by Jorge Fontevecchia in a format similar to U.S...
, Argentina's leading newsmagazine. The suggestive photo spread was accompanied by an interview in which her relationship with the recently divorced President Menem was discussed. Alsogaray was appointed Secretary of the Environment and Natural Resources in November 1991, something she attributed in a Clarín
Clarín (newspaper)
Clarín is the largest newspaper in Argentina, published by the Grupo Clarín media group. It was founded by Roberto Noble on 28 August 1945. It is politically centrist but popularly understood to oppose the Kirchner government...
interview at the time to the "trust the President has deposited in me."
Alsogaray's tenure at Environment Secretariat, which was elevated to a cabinet level post by the President, was marked by a number of scandals of a policy nature, notably in regard to her handling of a serious, 1996 forest fire in the vicinity of Nahuel Huapi National Park
Nahuel Huapi National Park
Established in 1934, the Nahuel Huapi National Park is the oldest national park in Argentina. It surrounds Nahuel Huapi Lake in the foothills of the Patagonian Andes. The largest of the national parks in the region, it has an area of , or nearly 2 million acres...
, a 1999 flood in the humid northeast
Mesopotamia, Argentina
La Mesopotamia, Región Mesopotámica is the humid and verdant area of north-east Argentina, comprising the provinces of Misiones, Entre Ríos and Corrientes. The region called Litoral consists of the Mesopotamia and the provinces of Chaco, Formosa and Santa Fe...
region, and, particularly, of a 1993 plan to decontaminate the Riachuelo (a heavily polluted waterway along Buenos Aires' industrial southside).
Alsogaray obtained a US$250 million loan from the IADB
IADB
IADB may refer to:* Inter-American Development Bank, an international organization to support Latin American and Caribbean economic and social development and regional integration...
for the purpose; of this, however, US$150 million were destined to unrelated social projects, six million were lost in IADB fines, US$90 million remained unallocated, and only one million was used for the actual cleanup (The Riachuelo's condition did not improve under subsequent administrations). Her own position within the right-wing UCeDé, at the helm of which she succeeded her father in 1994, became jeopardized by a rivalry with the party's second-ranking figure, National Mortagge Bank
Banco Hipotecario
Banco Hipotecario is an important commercial bank in Argentina and the nation's premier mortgage lender.-Overview:The institution was chartered on September 24, 1886, as the Banco Hipotecario Nacional by a bill signed by President Julio Roca...
Director Adelina D'Alessio de Viola.
Upon stepping down when President Menem left office in 1999, financial transactions in her name totaling over US$200 million came under scrutiny, and Alsogaray was ultimately convicted of misappropriation of public funds in 2004. Following a number of appeals and pursuant to her conviction, her Recoleta
Recoleta
Recoleta is a downtown residential neighborhood in the city of Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, Argentina; it is an area of great historical and architectural interest, due, particularly to the Recoleta Cemetery located there...
neighborhood townhouse was auctioned by a federal court in 2009.