Federico Franco facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Federico Franco
Franco in 2020
49th President of Paraguay
In office 22 June 2012 – 15 August 2013
Vice President	Óscar Denis
Preceded by	Fernando Lugo
Succeeded by	Horacio Cartes
Vice President of Paraguay
In office 15 August 2008 – 22 June 2012
President	Fernando Lugo
Preceded by	Francisco Oviedo
Succeeded by	Óscar Denis
Personal details
Born	Luis Federico Franco Gómez (1962-07-24) 24 July 1962 (age 63) Asunción, Paraguay
Political party	Authentic Radical Liberal Party
Other political affiliations	Patriotic Alliance for Change (2007–10)
Spouse	Emilia Alfaro (married 1982)
Children	Four
Alma mater	National University of Asuncion

Luis Federico Franco Gómez (born 24 July 1962) is a Paraguayan politician. He served as the President of Paraguay from June 2012 to August 2013. Before becoming president, he was the Vice President of Paraguay. He was elected in 2008 alongside Fernando Lugo. When Lugo was removed from office in June 2012, Franco took over as president to finish the term. He is a member of the Authentic Radical Liberal Party (PLRA).

Federico Franco is also a surgeon. His brother, Julio César Franco, is also a politician. Federico Franco was once the chairman of the PLRA party. He also served as the Governor of the Central Department from 2003 to 2008.

About Federico Franco

Early Life and Education

Federico Franco was born in Asunción, Paraguay, on 24 July 1962. He married Emilia Alfaro on 20 February 1982. They have four children together. Emilia Alfaro was also a politician, serving as a deputy in Paraguay.

Franco went to primary school in the Dominican Republic. He completed his high school education in Asunción. He then decided to study medicine. He attended the Faculty of Medical Sciences at the National University of Asuncion. In 1986, he became a surgeon. He also earned a special degree in Internal Medicine.

Medical Career

The Franco family owns a hospital in Fernando de la Mora. It is called Sanatorio Franco. Federico and his brothers worked there from the beginning. He held several important roles at the Hospital de Clinicas (HC). These included being a head of interns and residents. He also worked as an emergency call head. Later, he became chief of internal medicine residents. He was also a chief in the cardiology ward.

In 1991, he became a member of the Paraguayan Society of Internal Medicine. He also joined its Executive Committee.

Political Journey

From Governor to Vice President

Federico Franco began his political career as the governor of the Central department. He served in this role from 2003 to 2008. He was part of the Authentic Radical Liberal Party. In 2008, his party decided to support Fernando Lugo for president. Franco ran as Lugo's running mate for vice president. They won the election.

During his time as Vice President, Franco sometimes disagreed with President Lugo. These disagreements were about things like land management.

Becoming President

On 21 June 2012, President Fernando Lugo was removed from office. This process is called an impeachment. The next day, Federico Franco became the new president. He took the oath of office shortly after Lugo's removal. He served the rest of Lugo's term, which ended on 15 August 2013.

The Paraguayan Constitution does not allow a president to run for re-election if they served a partial term. Because of this rule, Franco could not run for president in the 2013 election.

Key Actions as President

As president, Franco made some quick changes. He appointed new ministers to his government. For example, he replaced the Interior Minister with Carmelo Caballero. He also restarted talks with Rio Tinto Alcan about a large aluminum plant project. Franco approved the sale of genetically modified soybeans from Monsanto. He also brought several people from the agribusiness sector into his government. During his presidency, there were some budget cuts in social programs. There were also layoffs in the public sector.

Financial Situation During His Term

Even though his time as president was short, Paraguay's financial situation changed. The country's financial deficit increased significantly. After he left office, the new government noted this increase. They also pointed out that Franco's personal wealth grew a lot during his time in government. His fortune increased by almost 750% from 2008, when he first joined the government, until he left power in 2012.

Cabinet Members

Here are some of the people who served in Federico Franco's cabinet:

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs: José Félix Fernández Estigarribia
• Ministry of Finance: Manuel Ferreira Brusquetti
• Ministry of Internal Affairs: Carmelo Caballero
• Ministry of National Defence: María Liz García de Arnold
• Ministry of Public Works and Communications: Enrique Salyn Buzarquis
• Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare: Antonio Arbo
• Ministry of Agriculture and Stockbreeding: Enzo Cardozo
• Ministry of Education and Culture: Horacio Galeano Perrone
• Ministry of Justice and Labor: María Lorena Segovia Azucas

See also

In Spanish: Federico Franco para niños