Luis María Argaña facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Luis María Argaña
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| Vice President of Paraguay | |
| In office August 15, 1998 – March 23, 1999 |
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| President | Raúl Cubas Grau |
| Preceded by | Ángel Seifart |
| Succeeded by | Julio César Franco |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 3, 1932 Asunción, Paraguay |
| Died | March 23, 1999 (aged 66) Asunción, Paraguay |
| Cause of death | Assassination by gunshots |
| Political party | Colorado Party |
Luis María Argaña (born October 3, 1932 – died March 23, 1999) was an important politician and judge from Paraguay. He was a very influential member of the Colorado Party. He served as a judge on the Supreme Court. Later, he became the Vice-President in 1998.
Sadly, he was killed just seven months after becoming Vice-President. This happened in March 1999. At that time, it seemed likely he would become the next president. The events around his death are known in Paraguay as Marzo paraguayo, which means "the Paraguayan March." An airport in Paraguay, Dr. Luis María Argaña International Airport, is named after him.
Early Life and Public Service
Luis María Argaña studied law and social sciences. He graduated from the Universidad Nacional de Asunción in 1958. After finishing his studies, he became a professor at the university.
He then entered the world of politics. He became a member of the Chamber of Deputies of Paraguay. This is like a parliament where laws are made. He also served as a judge. From 1983 to 1988, he was the President of the Supreme Court of Paraguay. This is the highest court in the country. From 1989 to 1990, he also worked as the Foreign Minister. This means he was in charge of Paraguay's relationships with other countries.
Argaña was part of the Colorado Party. He believed in a more fair way of running the country. He even spoke out against the government at the time. He said that some people were not truly representing Paraguay.
Running for President
Argaña wanted to become president of Paraguay. He first tried to get his party's nomination for the 1993 election. He was very popular in surveys. However, he lost the primary election to Juan Carlos Wasmosy. Wasmosy then won the main election. Years later, a politician admitted that there was electoral fraud in that primary election. This means the votes were not counted fairly.
He tried again for the 1998 election. This time, he lost the primary to General Lino Oviedo. But Oviedo was put in jail before the election. This was because of his involvement in a failed attempt to take over the government in 1996.
Because Oviedo was in jail, his running mate, Raúl Cubas, took his place. Argaña then became Cubas's running mate. Together, they won the election by a large number of votes. This is how Argaña became the Vice-President of Paraguay.
His Death
On March 23, 1999, Luis María Argaña was killed. He was traveling in a car with his bodyguard and driver. Another car blocked their way. People got out of the other car and shot at Argaña, his bodyguard, and his driver. Argaña and his bodyguard died from the gunshots. The driver survived the attack. This sad event was shown on television.
Later, a person named Pablo Vera Esteche was arrested. He said that he and two other gunmen were paid to carry out the murder. He also said that the murder was approved by Cubas and Oviedo. Vera Esteche was sentenced to 20 years in prison. His helpers also received long prison sentences.
See also
In Spanish: Luis María Argaña para niños
