Luis Lacalle Pou facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Luis Lacalle Pou
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Official portrait, 2020
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| 42nd President of Uruguay | |
| Assumed office 1 March 2020 |
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| Vice President | Beatriz Argimón |
| Preceded by | Tabaré Vázquez |
| Senator of the Republic | |
| In office 15 February 2015 – 12 August 2019 |
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| Constituency | At-large |
| President of the Chamber of Representatives | |
| In office 1 March 2011 – 1 March 2012 |
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| Preceded by | Ivonne Passada |
| Succeeded by | Jorge Orrico |
| National Representative | |
| In office 15 February 2000 – 15 February 2015 |
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| Constituency | Canelones |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Luis Alberto Aparicio Alejandro Lacalle Pou
11 August 1973 Montevideo, Uruguay |
| Political party | National Party |
| Spouse |
Lorena Ponce de León
(m. 2000; div. 2024) |
| Children | 3 |
| Parents |
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| Residence | Residencia de Suárez |
| Education | The British Schools |
| Alma mater | Catholic University of Uruguay |
| Signature | .jpg){kind=small} |
Luis Lacalle Pou (born 11 August 1973) is a politician and lawyer from Uruguay. He has been the 42nd president of Uruguay since 2020.
He is the son of a former president, Luis Alberto Lacalle. Lacalle Pou studied at The British Schools of Montevideo and became a lawyer in 1998. He is a member of the National Party.
He was first elected to the Chamber of Representatives in 1999. He served as a representative for the Canelones Department from 2000 to 2015. He also led the lower house of the General Assembly from 2011 to 2012. Later, he was a Senator from 2015 to 2019.
Lacalle Pou ran for president in 2014 but did not win. Five years later, in the 2019 election, he won against Daniel Martínez. He became president with 50.79% of the votes. At 46 years old, he was the youngest president since 1985. His election also ended 15 years of left-wing rule in Uruguay.
During his time as president, Lacalle Pou has made changes to retirement laws and the education system. He led Uruguay's efforts against the COVID-19 pandemic and the vaccination program. Many people praised his handling of the virus. In 2020, his government introduced a special law with many reforms. A referendum was held in 2022 to decide if parts of this law should be removed, but the public voted to keep them.
Recently, Uruguay faced a drought in 2023, which caused some water shortages. There were also some controversies involving people in his government, leading to resignations. For example, a former chief aide faced legal issues and resigned. In 2024, it was announced that Lacalle Pou would run for the Senate in the next election. He cannot run for president again right away due to a rule against serving two terms in a row.
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Early Life and Education
Luis Lacalle Pou was born on 11 August 1973 in Montevideo, the capital city of Uruguay. He comes from a family with a long history in government. His father, Luis Alberto Lacalle, was also a president, and his mother, Julia Pou, was a senator.
He has two siblings, Pilar and Juan José. His great-grandfather, Luis Alberto de Herrera, was also a very important political figure. As a child, he lived in the Pocitos neighborhood. When his father became president in 1990, his family moved to the Suárez presidential residence.
When he was 14, doctors found he had a growth hormone problem. He received treatment that helped him grow to 1.70 meters (about 5 feet 7 inches). In his youth, he enjoyed surfing and played football for the Montevideo Cricket Club.
He attended The British Schools of Montevideo. During his last years there, while his father was president, a guard was placed at the school gates. He preferred to drive himself to school in an old family car instead of using a government escort. In 1993, he began studying law at the Catholic University of Uruguay and graduated in 1998.
Political Career
In the 1999 elections, Lacalle Pou was elected as a representative for the Canelones Department. He served from 2000 to 2005. He was re-elected in 2004 and again in 2009, serving until 2015.
He belonged to the Herrerist group within the National Party, which was started by his great-grandfather. As a leader of the opposition, he disagreed with some laws of the previous government. He describes himself as a religious person.
In 2010, Lacalle Pou ran for mayor of Canelones but did not win.
Presidential Campaigns
2014 Election
On 30 March 2014, Lacalle Pou announced he would run for president. On 1 June 2014, his party chose him as their candidate for the presidential elections in October. He was also elected as a Senator. He lost the presidential election in the second round on 30 November 2014.
2019 Election
In the 2019 primary elections, Lacalle Pou won with 53% of the votes. He then announced Beatriz Argimón as his running mate for vice president.
In the first round of the 2019 general election on 27 October 2019, he came in second place with 28.62% of the votes. Since no candidate won a majority, a second round election was held on 24 November. In this runoff, Luis Lacalle Pou received 48.71% of the unofficial votes. His opponent, Daniel Martínez, got 47.51%.
The final results were announced on 29 November 2019. Lacalle Pou was confirmed as the winner with 48.8% of the votes, while Martínez received 47.3%. He was the first candidate from the National Party to win the presidency since his father left office in 1995. This was only the fourth time in 154 years that the National Party had won the government.
President of Uruguay
| Presidential styles of Luis Lacalle Pou |
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| Reference style | Señor Presidente. "Mr. President" |
| Alternative style | Presidente de la República. "President of the Republic" |
Inauguration
Lacalle Pou became president on 1 March 2020. After taking his oath in front of the General Assembly, he rode with Vice President Beatriz Argimón in an old 1937 Ford V8 car. This car belonged to his great-grandfather, Luis Alberto de Herrera.
The parade ended in Plaza Independencia, where he received the presidential sash from the outgoing President Tabaré Vázquez.
Government Policies
Lacalle Pou formed a government with five different political parties. He promised to cut government spending to reduce the country's debt. He also said he wanted to help businesses and attract wealthy people from other countries with favorable tax rules. Some people worried this might make Uruguay a "tax haven" again.
During his election campaign, Lacalle Pou announced plans for a package of government measures. These measures would be introduced through a special "urgent consideration law." This type of law allows the president to send a bill to the General Assembly with a short deadline for approval. The 2020 coronavirus pandemic delayed this, but the bill was officially presented to Parliament on 23 April 2020.
Cabinet Members
On 16 December 2019, Lacalle Pou announced the members of his cabinet. This group of ministers is made up of an alliance of parties called the Coalición Multicolor. It includes the National Party, the Colorado Party, Open Cabildo, the Independent Party, and the Party of the People. He said he wanted a "government of action" that would talk a lot with the people.
Foreign Relations
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When Lacalle Pou became president, Uruguay's foreign relations changed. He spoke out against the government of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela. He also chose not to invite the presidents of Cuba and Nicaragua to his inauguration. However, his government did not fully recognize Juan Guaidó as the legitimate President of Venezuela, only as the President of the National Assembly. In 2021, his government stated that Maduro's government was a "dictatorial regime."
Lacalle Pou's government also withdrew Uruguay from the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR). He said it had become too political. Uruguay also rejoined the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance (TIAR). Lacalle Pou supports making the rules of the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) more flexible. He also wants to create a deeper free trade area.
His government condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. During the Israel–Hamas war, he condemned the actions of Hamas as terrorism and showed support for the Israeli people. Uruguay also asked to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement.
COVID-19 Pandemic Response
The COVID-19 pandemic began just after Lacalle Pou became president. The first cases were reported on 13 March 2020. On 14 March, he asked for public events to be canceled and some public places to close. People were advised to stay home, and schools were closed for two weeks. On 16 March, he ordered the closure of most border crossings.
Lacalle Pou chose not to enforce a strict lockdown. Instead, he asked people to use their "individual freedom" responsibly. On 17 April, he created a group of experts to advise the government. This group included important scientists like Fernando Paganini, Rafael Radi, and Henry Cohen. The group worked for 14 months.
At first, Uruguay's response was praised because the country had few cases. In early 2021, infections increased, but they started to decrease by late July. In January 2022, daily cases reached a peak before declining again.
2022 Referendum
In April 2020, Lacalle Pou's government presented a special "urgent consideration" bill. This bill included changes in areas like the economy, public safety, education, and work. It was approved and became law on 9 July 2020.
However, some groups, like the PIT-CNT trade union and the Broad Front party, opposed parts of the law. They started a campaign to collect signatures for a referendum to remove 135 articles of the law. A referendum was held on 27 March 2022. The option to keep the articles in force won with 50% of the votes, while 48% voted to repeal them.
Personal Life
Luis Lacalle Pou married Lorena Ponce de León in 2000. They have three children: Luis Alberto, Violeta, and Manuela. In May 2022, they announced their separation, and their divorce was finalized in June 2024.
Lacalle Pou loves surfing and has been doing it since the 1980s. He is also a big fan of rugby union. He supports the Old Boys & Old Girls Club, which is his former school's alumni team, and the national rugby union team. He has even worn the national team tie at public events.
See also
In Spanish: Luis Lacalle Pou para niños
- List of political families of Uruguay
Images for kids
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President Lacalle Pou with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro
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President Lacalle Pou with U.S. President Joe Biden
