Luis Alberto Lacalle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Luis Alberto Lacalle
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Lacalle in 2014
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| 36th President of Uruguay | |
| In office 1 March 1990 – 1 March 1995 |
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| Vice President | Gonzalo Aguirre |
| Preceded by | Julio María Sanguinetti |
| Succeeded by | Julio María Sanguinetti |
| Senator of Uruguay | |
| In office 15 February 2010 – 15 February 2015 |
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| Constituency | At-large |
| In office 15 February 1985 – 15 February 1990 |
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| Constituency | At-large |
| Chair of the National Party | |
| In office 17 August 2009 – 8 January 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Carlos Julio Pereyra |
| Succeeded by | Luis Alberto Heber |
| In office 11 April 1999 – 13 July 2004 |
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| Preceded by | Alberto Volonté |
| Succeeded by | Jorge Larrañaga |
| Representative of Uruguay | |
| In office 15 February 1972 – 27 June 1973 |
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| Constituency | Montevideo |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Luis Alberto Lacalle de Herrera
13 July 1941 Montevideo, Uruguay |
| Political party | National Party |
| Spouse |
Julia Pou
(m. 1970) |
| Relations |
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| Children | 4, including Luis Lacalle |
| Parents |
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| Alma mater | University of the Republic |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Signature |  |
Luis Alberto Lacalle de Herrera (born 13 July 1941) is a Uruguayan politician and lawyer. He served as the 36th president of Uruguay from 1990 to 1995. He is a member of the National Party. Before becoming president, he was a National Representative from 1972 to 1973. He also served as a Senator of the Republic from 1985 to 1990.
Lacalle was born and grew up in Montevideo, Uruguay. He is the grandson of Luis Alberto de Herrera, a very important leader of the National Party. Lacalle studied at the Jesuit Colegio Seminario and became a lawyer in 1964. In his younger years, he worked as a journalist. He was elected president in 1989. This was a big moment for the National Party, as it was their first president elected since 1860.
During his time as president, Lacalle focused on making the economy more open. He worked to change state-owned companies. He also helped create Mercosur, a group that helps countries in South America trade with each other. After his presidency, he continued to be active in politics. His son, Luis Lacalle Pou, also became president of Uruguay in 2020. This made them the third father-son pair to both serve as president of the country.
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Early Life and Education
Luis Alberto Lacalle was born in Montevideo on July 13, 1941. His parents were Carlos Pedro Lacalle Nuñez and María Hortensia de Herrera de Lacalle. His family has roots in Basque and Spanish cultures. His mother was the daughter of Luis Alberto de Herrera, a very well-known politician from the National Party.
He went to Colegio Seminario for his schooling. At just 17 years old, he joined the National Party. He later studied law at the University of the Republic. He finished his law degree in 1964.
Starting His Political Journey
Early Career (1958–1972)
In 1958, Lacalle supported his grandfather, Luis Alberto de Herrera, in the election. The National Party won that election. It was a big victory for them after 93 years of being in the opposition. They became the main political group in the government.
In 1961, Lacalle started working as a journalist. He wrote articles and columns for a newspaper called Clarín. In the 1971 election, he was chosen as a National Representative for Montevideo Department. He held this position until 1973. That year, President Juan María Bordaberry closed down the parliament.
Standing Against the Dictatorship (1973–1985)
Lacalle was against the military government that took power. He was even put in prison for a few weeks. After he was released, he secretly worked against the government.
In 1978, Lacalle and two other National Party members received poisoned wine. Lacalle's wife warned him not to drink it. Sadly, the wife of one of his friends drank some and died. This case is still not solved.
In 1980, Lacalle campaigned for people to vote "NO" in a special vote about the country's rules. In 1981, he started a group called Congreso Nacional Herrerista. This group was part of the National Party. In the 1984 election, which ended the dictatorship, Lacalle supported Alberto Zumarán for president. Zumarán lost, but Lacalle was elected as a Senator of the Republic.
Leading the Nation
Becoming a National Leader (1985–1990)
After the 1984 election, Lacalle served as a Senator of the Republic. He was part of the 42nd Legislature. In 1987, he became the vice president of the Senate. During this time, he became more well-known in politics. People even started comparing him to John F. Kennedy.
Presidency (1990–1995)
The 1989 Election
In 1989, Lacalle ran for president with Gonzalo Aguirre as his running mate. In the election, Lacalle received the most votes among all presidential candidates. His party also received the most votes overall. Because of the election system in Uruguay, the candidate with the most votes from the party that won the most votes became president.
He officially became president on March 1, 1990. His term lasted for five years. He formed a team with some parts of the Colorado Party. This group was called Coincidencia Nacional.
Key Actions as President
When he became president, Lacalle quickly proposed changes to the tax system. These changes were approved with support from the Colorado Party. Sales taxes were increased, and some new taxes were created. During his time as president, he supported a free market economy. This meant making it easier for businesses to operate. He also helped Uruguay deal with its foreign debt.
A major achievement was helping to create Mercosur. This is a trade group that includes Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina. It officially started with the Treaty of Asunción in 1991. Mercosur helps these countries trade goods and services more easily.
However, not all of his economic plans were popular. In 1992, his idea to sell off some of Uruguay's state-owned companies was rejected by a public vote. This showed that many people did not agree with that specific reform.
In the 1994 national elections, Lacalle chose his Interior Minister, Juan Andrés Ramírez, to run for president for his party. The National Party lost the election by a small margin to the Colorado Party. Many important politicians worked in his government, including Héctor Gros Espiell and Sergio Abreu.
Later Political Life
Running for President Again
In 1999, Lacalle won his party's primary elections. He ran for president again, but he faced accusations about corruption during his time in government. These accusations hurt his chances. He finished in third place in the general elections with 22.3% of the votes.
Lacalle ran for president once more in the 2004 elections. However, other leaders in his party supported a different candidate, Jorge Larrañaga. Larrañaga defeated Lacalle in the primary elections. In 2009, Lacalle ran for president again and won his party's primary. But he lost the main election to José Mujica in a second round of voting.
Lacalle is a member of the Club de Madrid. This is a group of former democratic presidents and prime ministers. He is also on the board of the Public Affairs Committee of the Jerusalem Summit.
Personal Life
Luis Alberto Lacalle is married to María Julia Pou Brito del Pino. They got married in 1970. They have four children: Pilar Lacalle Pou, President Luis Lacalle Pou, economist Juan José Lacalle Pou, and Manuel Lacalle Pou. His son, Luis Lacalle Pou, ran for president in 2014 and again in 2019. In 2019, he won and became the president of Uruguay for the 2020–2025 term.
Honors and Awards
Luis Alberto Lacalle has received several special honors from universities and countries around the world.
- Israel: He received an honorary degree from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
- Mexico: He received an honorary degree from the Autonomous University of Guadalajara.
- Paraguay: He received an honorary degree from the National University of Asunción.
- Spain: He received an honorary degree from the Complutense University of Madrid.
Foreign Honors
Spain: He received the Collars of the Order of Isabella the Catholic. This is a very high honor from Spain.
See also
In Spanish: Luis Alberto Lacalle para niños
- Politics of Uruguay
- List of political families#Uruguay
