Martín Alejandro Lema Perretta (born September 6, 1982) is a Uruguayan lawyer and politician of the National Party, serving as National Representative in the 49th Legislature.[1] He previously served as Minister of Social Development from 2021 to 2024 and as president of the Chamber of Representatives in 2020.[2]
Martín Lema | |
|---|---|
 Martín Lema in 2020. | |
| National Representative for Montevideo | |
| Assumed office 4 March 2024 | |
| In office 15 February 2015 – 1 May 2021 | |
| Minister of Social Development of Uruguay | |
| In office 3 May 2021 – 4 March 2024 | |
| President | Luis Lacalle Pou |
| Preceded by | Pablo Bartol |
| Succeeded by | Alejandro Sciarra |
| President of the Chamber of Representatives of Uruguay | |
| In office 15 February 2020 – 1 March 2021 | |
| Succeeded by | Alfredo Fratti |
| Preceded by | Cecilia Bottino |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Martín Alejandro Lema Peretta 6 September 1982 Montevideo, Uruguay |
| Political party | National Party |
| Alma mater | University of the Republic |
| Occupation | Lawyer and politician |
Early life and education
editLema was born in the Jacinto Vera neighborhood of Montevideo, the son of an elementary school teacher and the owner of a food company, both of whom were not members of any political party.[3] He attended Elbio Fernández School.[4] In 2002 he enrolled at the University of the Republic, where he graduated in law.[5] While he was studying at university, he was a member of the University Guild Current (CGU), a student union with a long association with the National Party.[6]
Political career
editAfter graduating, he worked in the private sector until 2006, when at the request of then-representative Luis Alberto Lacalle Pou, he entered active politics in the National Party. In 2008 he co-founded, together with other young politicians, the Aire Fresco sector – Lista 404.[7] From 2010 to 2015 he was an advisor to Luis Alberto Lacalle, while serving in the Senate.[8]
In the 2014 general election, he was first elected to the Chamber of Representatives for the Montevideo Department.[9] During the 48th Legislature, he focused on health issues, for which he joined the parliamentary commission on Health and Social Assistance, which he chaired in 2017.[10] In 2017, he also appointed the creation of a parliamentary investigative commission on the management of the State Health Services Administration during the Broad Front administrations.[11] The results of the commission's work led then-President Tabaré Vázquez to dismiss the body's top management in February 2018.[12]
In the 2019 general election, he was re-elected as National Representative for the 49th Legislature. In February 2020, at the start of the legislative sessions, he was elected President of the Chamber of Representatives for the first annual period (2020-2021).[13][14] In February 2021, prior to finishing his term as president of the Chamber, he announced that during annual term, 4.2 million dollars had been saved, which were allocated to General Revenues.[15]
On May 1, 2021, President Luis Lacalle Pou announced Lema as Pablo Bartol's successor as head of the Ministry of Social Development.[16] The reason for Bartol's dismissal was the "demanding social consequences of the pandemic", which had to be addressed by "strong political and territorial coordination".[17][18] He took office on May 4, 2021.[19]
In March 2024, he resigned from his ministerial post to return to his seat in the Chamber of Representatives and actively participate in the electoral campaign.[20] He endorsed Álvaro Delgado Ceretta for president in the June presidential primaries and for the general election he is a candidate for the Senate on the Lista 404 electoral list of the Aire Fresco sector, as first substitute for the head of the list, Luis Lacalle Pou.[21]
References
edit- ^ "Martín Lema dejará el Mides en marzo para volver a ocupar su banca en Diputados". Montevideo Portal (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ "Martín Lema: "Nos proponemos hacer una rendición de cuentas desde el primer día"". subrayado.com.uy (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2020-02-18.
- ^ "Martín Lema: fue mozo, militó en la CGU y se hizo blanco aunque sus padres no lo eran". EL PAIS. 2021-05-04. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ "Exalumnos Destacados | Escuela y Liceo Elbio Fernández". 2022-11-28. Archived from the original on 2022-11-28. Retrieved 2023-02-12.
- ^ "El Mides cambiará o rediseñará la mitad de sus programas, aseguró el ministro Martín Lema". Montevideo Portal (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ "Lema: "La pluralidad terminó enriqueciendo la herramienta de la coalición" | La Mañana" (in Spanish). 2021-12-23. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ "La historia de Lema, Martinelli y Satdjian: de poner barras en boliches a la primera línea del gobierno". El Observador (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ "La carrera de Martín Lema: miró con lupa y cuestionó a Arismendi en el Mides, y ahora le toca liderarlo". El Observador (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2024-06-04. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ Observador, El. "Los diputados sub 40 que mueven la pelota en el parlamento". El Observador. Retrieved 2020-02-18.
- ^ "Reclamarán a ministro Basso instalación de IMAE en Tacuarembó, "anunciada e incumplida"". Montevideo Portal (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ cronicas (2018-07-27). "Martín Lema: "Estoy evaluando seriamente plantear la eliminación del corralito mutual"". Crónicas (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2020-03-29.
- ^ "Tabaré Vázquez remueve a directores políticos de ASSE: Muñiz, Ardus y Rodríguez Rienzi". El Observador (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ "Parlamento UY | "HOY EMPEZAMOS A RENDIR CUENTAS": EL DIPUTADO MARTÍN LEMA ASUMIÓ LA PRESIDENCIA DE LA CÁMARA DE REPRESENTANTES". parlamento.gub.uy (in Spanish). 2020-02-15. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ "Martín Lema prometió medidas para "fortalecer el control" de legisladores". Diario La República (in Spanish). 2020-02-15. Retrieved 2020-02-18.
- ^ "Lema cierra primer año de Presidencia de Diputados con ahorro de US$ 4,2 millones". subrayado.com.uy (in Spanish). 2021-02-23. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ Observador, El. "Cambio de ministro en el Mides: Pablo Bartol deja su lugar a Martín Lema". El Observador. Retrieved 2021-05-02.
- ^ Uruguay, Presidencia de la República Oriental del. "Martín Lema asumirá como nuevo ministro de Desarrollo Social - Presidencia de la República". Presidencia de la República Oriental del Uruguay (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2021-05-02.
- ^ "Lema tras su designación al frente del Mides: 'Asumiremos con gran compromiso'". Teledoce.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-05-02.
- ^ "Martín Lema: el elegido para dar la batalla en el Mides, transmitió que no será candidato en 2024". EL PAIS. 2021-05-08. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ Ana (2024-03-04). "Javier García y Martín Lema dejaron sus respectivos ministerios". VTV NOTICIAS. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ Carve, Radio. "Lema entiende que "serenidad" de la campaña electoral se debe a un ambiente de continuidad por parte de la ciudadanía y a la falta de movilización que tiene el Frente Amplio | Radio Carve 850". radiocarve.uy (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-10-26.