User:Razr Nation/sandbox/Henrique Capriles Radonski
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Henrique Capriles Radonski (Spanish pronunciation: [enˈrike kaˈpɾiles raˈðonski]) is a Venezuelan politician and lawyer, currently serving as 36th Governor of Miranda. Born in Caracas on 11 July 1972, he received a degree on law from the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello, and later tax law from the Central University of Venezuela. Capriles first ventured into politics at age 26, when he became the youngest member ever elected of the Venezuelan parliament. He secured a seat into the Chamber of Deputies in the 1998 parliamentary elections, under the Christian democratic party Copei. He served as Vice President of the Congress and President of the Chamber of Deputies until their dissolution by the Constitutional Assembly in August 1999.
Henrique Capriles Radonski | |
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Governor of Miranda | |
Assumed office 29 November 2008 | |
Preceded by | Diosdado Cabello |
Mayor of Baruta | |
In office 30 July 2000 – 26 November 2008 | |
Preceded by | Ivonne Attas |
Succeeded by | Gerardo Blyde |
Vice president of the Congress of the Republic of Venezuela | |
In office 23 January 1999 – 22 December 1999 | |
Preceded by | Ixora Rojas |
Succeeded by | none (congress dissolved) |
President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Republic of Venezuela | |
In office 23 January 1999 – 22 December 1999 | |
Preceded by | Ixora Rojas |
Succeeded by | title abolished |
Personal details | |
Born | (1972-07-11) 11 July 1972 (age 51) Caracas, Venezuela |
Political party | Justice First (2000–present) Copei (Before 2000) |
Other political affiliations | Democratic Unity Roundtable (2008–present) |
Alma mater | Andrés Bello Catholic University Central University of Venezuela |
Signature | ![]() |
In 2000, he co-founded the political party Primero Justicia, alongside politicians Julio Borges and Leopoldo Lopez, and ran successfully for the mayorship of the Baruta municipality in the regional elections held in July 2000. Two years into his first term as mayor, a failed coup d'état took place, removing then-President Hugo Chávez from office for three days. The Cuban embassy, located in the Baruta municipality, was attacked and received severe damages; Capriles was charged of these attacks and was arrested in May 2004, only to be released on probation in September. At the 2004 regional elections, Capriles was re-elected as mayor of Baruta for a second term, defeating government candidate Simón Pestana with 79% of the votes. Unable to seek a third term as mayor, Capriles ran for the governorship of the Miranda state at the 2008 regional elections, defeating incumbent Diosdado Cabello.
After President Hugo Chávez's health started to decline, Capriles became the strongest contender so stand a chance at the 2012 presidential elections. He was later selected as the formal opposition candidate after winning the primaries held on February 2012. However, he lost the presidential election against Hugo Chávez, who was re-elected for a third term. Having lost the election, Capriles ran for a second term as governor of Miranda in the 2012 regional elections, defeating Elías Jaua. After Hugo Chávez' sudden death on March 2013, Capriles ran again at the extraordinary 2013 presidential elections against pro-Chávez candidate and vice president Nicolás Maduro. Maduro narrowly defeated Capriles by a margin of less than 1.5%, in a victory that the opposition considered as electoral fraud. Capriles refused to accept the results, claiming election irregularities.[1]
Capriles Radonski is of Sephardi Jewish and Ashkenazi Jewish descent; his grandparents immigrated from Russia and Poland during World War II. However, he considers himself as a fervent Catholic, revealing that his greatest hero in history was Jesus Christ. Capriles dated Venezuelan actress Erika de la Vega between his first and second tenure as mayor of the Baruta municipality. Prior to his political career, he worked in the public and private sectors at several tax and law firms of Venezuela. Capriles is a member of the International Fiscal Association, as well as the World Association of Young Jurors.