Mercedes Cabanillas
| Mercedes Cabanillas | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of Congress | |
|
In office 26 July 2000 – 26 July 2011 | |
| Constituency | Lima |
| Minister of the Interior | |
|
In office 19 February 2009 – 11 July 2009 | |
| President | Alan García |
| Preceded by | Remigio Hernani Meloni |
| Succeeded by | Octavio Salazar Miranda |
| President of Congress | |
|
In office 26 July 2006 – 26 July 2007 | |
| Preceded by | Marcial Ayaipoma |
| Succeeded by | Luis Gonzales Posada |
| Member of the Senate | |
|
In office 26 July 1990 – 5 April 1992 | |
| Minister of Education | |
|
In office 5 May 1990 – 28 July 1990 | |
| Preceded by | Efraín Orbegozo Rodríguez |
| Succeeded by | Gloria Helfer Palacios |
|
In office 28 July 1987 – 9 August 1988 | |
| Preceded by | Grover Pango Vildoso |
| Succeeded by | Efraín Orbegozo Rodríguez |
| Member of the Chamber of Deputies | |
|
In office 26 July 1985 – 26 July 1990 | |
| Constituency | Lima |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
May 22, 1947 Callao |
| Political party | Partido Aprista Peruano |
| Residence | Lima |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Website | Official website |
Mercedes Cabanillas Bustamante (born 22 May 1947 in Callao) is a Peruvian Congresswoman of the Peruvian Aprista Party representing the Electoral District of Lima. Minister of Interior of Peru.
Early career
Her parents were Armando Cabanillas Olaechea and Emma Bustamante, both members of the Peruvian Aprista Party. She entered the Party in 1961, exercising various offices such as member of the National Command of the Youth Wing Juventud Aprista Peruana, National Secretary of Women Affairs, and in 1982, the Political Action Committee of Women.
She studied Education at the Universidad Nacional Federico Villarreal, where she graduated with a doctoral degree.
Congress and Cabinet Minister
She was elected to Congress as a Member of the Chamber of Deputies for the term 1985-1990. She entered the Government when President Alan García appointed her Minister of Education in 1987, after the resignation of the Cabinet led by Prime Minister Luis Alva Castro. At the helm, she promised to attend the demands of the teachers syndicate, SUTEP. She began with a raise of 35% for the public teachers. She visited schools in Lima and Provinces.
Surprisingly, in 1988, the Electoral Committee of the Party elected her as Candidate for Mayor of Lima. She resigned from office in August 1988 to run for the mayorship, losing to radio host Ricardo Belmont.
Senate and Presidential Candidate
After losing the Mayorship, she ran for a seat in the Senate, gaining the highest number of votes (328,714), being elected Senator for the term 1990-1995. Her office was terminated when President Alberto Fujimori dissolved Congress with his self coup in 1992.
In 1995 Cabanillas ran for the Presidency of the Republic under the Peruvian Aprista Party ticket winning only 4.11% of the popular vote. Her running mate for Vice President was Jorge Lozada Stambury, former Senator and President of the Senate.
Return to Congress and Interior Minister
In 2000, she was elected to Congress under the Peruvian Aprista Party. She was reelected in 2001 and 2006. When Alan García was elected President for the term 2006-2011, Congress appointed her President of Congress for the annual term 2006-2007.
On February 19 of 2009, President Alan García appointed her Minister of the Interior. As such she was in charge of the Police forces that were sent to the amazon region of Bagua to repress native Indians who were protesting against the government that was giving away their ancestral lands to foreign corporations for oil drilling, mining and logging. As a result of the violent intervention of the heavily armed police and military forces over 50 Indian have been killed and nearly 200 wounded. As minister of the Interior she gave the order to attack the Natives. She resigned with Prime Minister Yehude Simon on July 11.
She served in Congress until 2011, when she ran for reelection, receiving poorly a minority of votes. She is still a powerful leader in the Peruvian Aprista Party.
See also
- First Presidency of Alan García
- Second Presidency of Alan García
- American Popular Revolutionary Alliance
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mercedes Cabanillas. |
| Preceded by Remigio Hernani |
Minister of Interior of Peru (2009) |
Succeeded by Octavio Salazar Miranda |
| Preceded by Marcial Ayaipoma |
President of Congress of Peru (Jul 2006 – Jul 2007) |
Succeeded by Luis Gonzales Posada |
| Preceded by Grover Pango |
Minister of Education of Peru (1987–1988) |
Succeeded by Efraín Orbegozo |
| Preceded by Luis Alva Castro |
Partido Aprista Presidential Candidate 1995 – (Lost) |
Succeeded by Abel Salinas |