Óscar Ortiz Antelo
Óscar Miguel Ortiz Antelo (born 28 September 1969) is a Bolivian business administrator and politician serving as the President of the Union of Latin American Parties. During the interim government of Jeanine Áñez, he served as Minister of Productive Development and Plural Economy and later as Minister of Economy and Public Finance. Previously, he served as Senator for Santa Cruz and was President of the Senate between 2008 and 2010. He was Vice President of the International Democratic Union and President of the New Democracy Foundation. He is one of the founders and current general secretary of  the Democrat Social Movement (MDS). Biography. Óscar Ortiz Antelo was born on 28 September 1969 in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. He graduated with from the University of Santa Cruz de la Sierra in 1992 obtaining a master's degree in Business Law in 2018. Between 1991 and 2005, he held executive positions in the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Santa Cruz. He occupied its general management between 1999 and 2005, specializing in the promotion of business development, foreign development, and investment attraction. From 1997 to 1999, he was the main advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Investment and  general advisor to the Ministry of Housing and Basic Services during the government of Hugo Banzer. Political career. Senator for Santa Cruz (2006–2010). Ortiz was elected Senator for Santa Cruz in the 2005 general elections as a member of the Social Democratic Power (PODEMOS) party. He took office on 22 January 2006, becoming President of the Senate from 2008 to 2010. He represented the conservative opposition in the Plurinational Legislative Assembly, denouncing the government of Evo Morales on multiple occasions. He filed multiple complaints surrounding corruption cases surrounding the practices of the Movement for Socialism (MAS-IPSP). In 2008, he  broke with PODEMOS and founded the Consenso Popular, which would later join forces with Samuel Doria Medina's National Unity Front (UN). Secretary of the Interior of Santa Cruz (2010–2014). Following the end of his term, he was appointed by Santa Cruz Governor Rubén Costas to occupy the Secretariat of the Interior, a position he held between 2010 and 2014. Senator for Santa Cruz (2015–2020). In the 2014 general elections, Ortiz was elected again to the office of Senator for Santa Cruz this time as a member of the Democratic Unit (UD). He was part of the Constitution, Human Rights , Legislation, and Electoral System Commission. Representing the leaders of the Bolivian right-wing, he presented multiple demands before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights requesting the results of the 2016 constitutional referendum be respected sighting "risk of the rights" of Bolivians. Presidential candidacy. In 2019, he was the presidential candidate for the "Alianza Bolivia Dice No" as a member of the Democrat Social Movement for the 2019 general elections. Ortiz obtained fourth place with 4.24% of the popular vote, though the results were annulled as a consequence of the ensuing political crisis. The crisis resulted in the resignation of  Morales and the assumption to the presidency of opposition Jeanine Áñez, a member of Ortiz's party. Minister of Productive Development and Plural Economy. On 8 May 2020, Ortiz resigned his Senate seat after being appointed Minister of Productive Development and Plural Economy by President Jeanine Áñez. He was tasked with reactivating the economy and employment in Bolivia in the midst of the health emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Minister of Economy and Public Finance. He was reassigned to the Ministry of Economy and Public Finance on 7 July 2020 but was removed on 28 September due to disagreements  with Government Minister Arturo Murillo.