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Elisa CarrioArgentine politician
Date of Birth: 26.12.1956
Country:  Argentina |
Content:
- Elisa Carrió: A Trailblazing Argentine Politician
- Early Career
- Political Activism
- Anti-Corruption Stance
- Foundation of ARI
- Presidential Candidacies
- 2007 Presidential Election
- Post-2007 Political Career
- Endorsement of Presidential Candidacies
Elisa Carrió: A Trailblazing Argentine Politician
Early Life and EducationElisa Carrió was born in Resistencia, Argentina, to a devout Catholic family. As a teenager, she participated in a local beauty pageant. In 1978, she graduated from the National University of Resistencia with a law degree.
Early Career
Carrió began her public service career as a technical advisor to the Public Ministry of Chaco. In 1980, she became a state prosecutor. She later lectured in constitutional law at her alma mater and served as the director of the Department of Human Rights at the University of Buenos Aires from 1986 to 1988.
Political Activism
Constitutional Convention and Congressional ExperienceCarrió entered politics at the behest of her mentor, Raúl Alfonsín. In 1994, she was a member of the Constitutional Convention that amended Article 75 of the Constitution, pertaining to human rights. She was elected to the Chamber of Deputies for her home province of Chaco on the Unión Cívica Radical (UCR) ticket in 1995 and 1997.
Anti-Corruption Stance
In 1999, Carrió was re-elected to the Argentine Congress, where she chaired the Commission on Corruption and Money Laundering. In 2001, she clashed with Economy Minister Domingo Cavallo, accusing him of corruption. The dispute culminated in a court case where Carrió presented evidence against Cavallo involving Daniel Díaz, who was arrested in October for fraud and forgery.
Foundation of ARI
Break from UCR and New PartyIn 2000, Carrió left the UCR. In 2002, she founded a new party called Alternativa para una República de Iguales (ARI), along with supporters from the Democratic Socialist Party and other left-leaning politicians disillusioned with their parties' policies.
Presidential Candidacies
2003 Presidential ElectionCarrió ran for president in 2003 and finished fifth with 14% of the vote.
2007 Presidential Election
In 2007, she ran as the candidate for the Civic Coalition, which she had formed with the Socialist Party. She won approximately 23% of the vote, coming second to Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.
Post-2007 Political Career
Opposition Role and CoalitionsAfter the 2007 election, Carrió announced that she would not run in the next presidential election, stating that she wished to increase her influence as an "opposition leader." She formed a coalition with her former allies, the Socialists, for the 2009 elections.
Endorsement of Presidential Candidacies
Despite her earlier decision, Carrió reconsidered her stance on running for president in 2011. On December 12, 2010, she announced her candidacy for the upcoming October 2011 elections.
