Roberto Lavagna facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Roberto Lavagna
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Lavagna in 2019
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| Minister of Economy | |
| In office 27 April 2002 – 28 November 2005 |
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| President | Eduardo Duhalde (2002–03) Néstor Kirchner (2003–05) |
| Preceded by | Jorge Remes Lenicov |
| Succeeded by | Felisa Miceli |
| Argentine Ambassador to the European Union | |
| In office 1 August 2000 – 27 April 2002 |
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| President | Fernando de la Rúa (2000–01) Eduardo Duhalde (2002) |
| Preceded by | Jorge Remes Lenicov |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 24 March 1942 Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Political party | Independent (2007–2013, 2019–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Justicialist Party (1973–2007) Renewal Front (2013–2019) Federal Consensus (2019–2023) Hacemos por Nuestro País (since 2023) |
| Spouse |
Claudine Marechal
(m. 1970) |
| Children | Sergio, Marco and Nicolás |
| Alma mater | University of Buenos Aires |
| Profession | |
Roberto Lavagna (born March 24, 1942) is an Argentine economist and politician. He served as the Minister of Economy and Production from April 27, 2002, to November 28, 2005. He has also been an ambassador and a presidential candidate.
Contents
Roberto Lavagna's Life Story
His Early Life and Education
Roberto Lavagna was born in 1942 in Saavedra, a part of Buenos Aires, Argentina. His family later moved to Morón. He studied at the University of Buenos Aires and earned a degree in political economy in 1967.
He received a scholarship to study in Belgium. There, he earned a degree in econometrics and economic policy. In Belgium, he met Claudine Marechal, and they married in 1970. They have three children together. Lavagna also has an honorary doctorate from the University of Concepción del Uruguay.
Starting a Career in Government
In 1973, after Héctor Cámpora became president, Lavagna started working in public service. He was named National Director of Price Policy. Later, he became Director of Incomes Policy under the Economy Minister, José Ber Gelbard. He helped manage a plan to control inflation and increase wages.
After leaving this role, he worked in the private sector for a few years. He also helped start Ecolatina, a group that studies economic issues, in 1975.
Lavagna returned to government work in 1985. He served as Secretary of Industry and Foreign Commerce under President Raúl Alfonsín. During this time, he helped create trade agreements with Brazil. These agreements later led to the formation of Mercosur, a trade group, in 1991. In 2000, he became an ambassador to international economic conferences and the European Union.
Minister of Economy
On April 27, 2002, Roberto Lavagna was appointed Minister of Economy by President Eduardo Duhalde. He took on this role during a very difficult time for Argentina's economy. One of his first goals was to remove the corralito. This was a rule that limited how much money people could take out of their bank accounts.
The Argentine currency, the Argentine peso, had lost a lot of its value. However, under Lavagna's leadership, the peso became more stable. Argentina's trade with other countries also improved. The corralito was gradually removed between 2002 and 2003. The economy then started to recover strongly.
When Néstor Kirchner became president in May 2003, Lavagna continued in his role. He also managed the Argentine debt restructuring in 2005. This was a big effort to reorganize Argentina's large public debt. He successfully reduced the amount owed and helped the country recover financially.
Lavagna was replaced by Felisa Miceli on November 28, 2005. The exact reasons for his departure were not made public. However, it was known that his independent style sometimes differed from President Kirchner's wishes.
After the Ministry
In 2007, Lavagna decided to run for president. He formed a group called UNA (Una Nación Avanzada, meaning "An Advanced Nation"). He ran against Cristina Fernández de Kirchner in the 2007 Argentine general election.
The Radical Civic Union (UCR) party supported Lavagna. This was unusual because the UCR usually fields its own candidate. Gerardo Morales became Lavagna's running mate. Lavagna and UNA finished third in the election. They received over 3 million votes, which was about 17% of the total. They won only in Córdoba Province.
After the 2007 election, Lavagna continued to be involved in politics. He later became an opponent of President Fernández de Kirchner. In 2013, he helped create Unidos Para Cambiar ('United for Change'). This group included other political figures who opposed the government.
More to Explore
- Economy of Argentina
- Argentine debt restructuring
