Luis Alberto Lacalle facts for kids
Luis Alberto Lacalle de Herrera (born July 13, 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 and a Senator 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. His son, Luis Lacalle Pou, also became President of Uruguay in 2020.
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 | 2, including Luis Lacalle |
| Parents |
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| Alma mater | University of the Republic |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Signature |  |
Contents
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 Spain.
His mother's father was Luis Alberto de Herrera, a very important politician. He was a leader of the National Party.
Lacalle went to a school called Colegio Seminario. When he was 17, he joined the National Party. He later studied law at the University of the Republic and became a lawyer in 1964.
Starting in Politics
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.
In 1961, Lacalle started working as a journalist. He wrote articles for a newspaper called Clarín. In the 1971 election, he was chosen as a National Representative for Montevideo. He held this position until 1973.
Opposing the Dictatorship
In 1973, Uruguay had a coup d'état. This is when the military takes control of the government. President Juan María Bordaberry dissolved the parliament. Lacalle lost his seat as a Representative.
Lacalle was against the military government, which lasted from 1973 to 1985. He was even put in prison for a few weeks. After he was released, he worked secretly against the government.
In 1980, there was a vote about a new constitution. Lacalle campaigned for people to vote "NO" against it. In 1981, he started a group called Congreso Nacional Herrerista. This group was part of the National Party.
In the 1984 election, the military government ended. Lacalle was elected as a Senator. This meant he was a member of the Senate of Uruguay.
Becoming President
From 1985 to 1990, Lacalle served as a Senator. He became more well-known in politics. In 1987, he was made the Vice President of the Senate.
In 1989, Lacalle ran for president. His running mate was Gonzalo Aguirre. Uruguay had a special election system called Ley de Lemas. In this system, the party that gets the most votes wins. Then, the candidate from that party with the most votes becomes president.
Lacalle received the most votes among all presidential candidates. His party, the National Party, also got the most votes. So, he became the President of Uruguay. He took office on March 1, 1990, for a five-year term. He worked with parts of the Colorado Party to form a government.
Key Actions as President
When Lacalle became president, he made some changes to the economy. He increased some taxes, like the sales tax. He also worked on reducing Uruguay's foreign debt.
One of his biggest achievements was helping to create Mercosur. This is a group of South American countries that work together on trade. The countries involved were Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina. Mercosur started with the Treaty of Asunción in 1991.
In 1992, Lacalle wanted to sell some government-owned companies to private businesses. But the people of Uruguay voted against this plan in a referendum. A referendum is when citizens vote directly on a law or a plan.
His time as president ended in 1995.
After the Presidency
After leaving office, Lacalle continued to be active in politics.
In 1999, he ran for president again. He won his party's primary election. However, he faced some accusations about corruption during his time as president. He came in third place in the general election.
He ran for president again in 2004, but he lost in his party's primary election. In 2009, he ran for president one more time. He won his party's primary, but he lost the main election to José Mujica.
In 2019, his son, Luis Lacalle Pou, won the presidential election. This made them the third father-son pair to both serve as president in Uruguay's history.
Family Life
Luis Alberto Lacalle is married to María Julia Pou Brito del Pino. They got married in 1970. They have four children: Pilar, Luis, Juan José, and Manuel.
Their son, Luis Lacalle Pou, followed in his father's footsteps. He became the President of Uruguay for the 2020–2025 term.
Awards and Recognition
Luis Alberto Lacalle has received several honorary degrees from universities. These are special awards given to people who have achieved great things.
- Israel: Honorary degree from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
- Mexico: Honorary degree from the Autonomous University of Guadalajara
- Paraguay: Honorary degree from the National University of Asunción
- Spain: Honorary degree from the Complutense University of Madrid
He also received the Collar of the Order of Isabella the Catholic from Spain.
See also
In Spanish: Luis Alberto Lacalle para niños
- Politics of Uruguay
- List of political families#Uruguay
