Miguel José Mansur (born 15 July 1977)[1] is an Aruban politician of the Accion 21 party.[2] He was elected a Senator of the Parliament of Aruba in the elections of 25 June 2021.[3] He was the top vote getter amongst new candidates[4] and fifth overall of 176 candidates participating.[5]

Miguel Mansur
Leader of the Accion 21 in the Parliament of Aruba 2021
Assumed office
8 July 2021
Personal details
Born
Miguel José Mansur

(1977-07-15) 15 July 1977 (age 47)
Oranjestad, Aruba
Political partyAccion 21
EducationTufts University

Early life and education

edit

Mansur was born to Madeline Arends, former Miss Tivoli 1967,[6] the daughter of Lieutenant Governor (Gezaghebber) Eric "Tushi" Arends[7] and M.E.I. "Betsy" Arends whose family emigrated from the Netherlands in the 1700s.[8] His father Miguel José Mansur, Sr. is an affluent businessman from a well-known Aruban merchant family of Lebanese descent and former President of the Chamber of Commerce.[9] He is the grandson of Elias Mansur, an important local businessman of the 20th century whose family settled in Aruba since 1902 and who was condecorated Officer in the Order of Orange-Nassau.[10][11] His paternal grandmother was Damia S. Mawad[12] of a prominent Zgharta noble family and cousin to assassinated Lebanese President René Moawad. He is the nephew of former Minister of Economic Affairs and Tourism E.F. "Don" Mansur.[13]

His primary education was in the English language at Seroe Colorado School, later renamed International School of Aruba. At the age of fourteen he went to boarding school at the prestigious Institut Le Rosey in Switzerland where he graduated with the Prix D'Excellence in 1995. He studied economics and international relations in the United States where he graduated from Tufts University.[14] Prior to returning to his native Aruba in October 2020, Mansur resided in Miami, Escazú, Madrid, Ibiza, Sydney, London, Amsterdam and Boston.[15]

Career

edit

An investor turned politician inspired by an article he published during the coronavirus pandemic, "Status Aparte: The Road to Prosperity or Poverty?" on 18 July 2020. Mansur critically assessed Aruba's performance since gaining self-governing autonomy, known as Status Aparte, on 1 January 1986 by comparing real economic growth with growth in the national debt.[16] The poor performance of successive Aruban governments since 2001 prompted his entry into politics, thereby founding the liberal progressive Accion 21 party on 18 December 2020.[17] Following the elections of 25 June 2021, he swore in as a Senator of Aruba on 8 July 2021 and is currently Leader of the parliamentary faction of Accion 21 in the Parliament of Aruba.[18]

Prior to his entry into politics he was President of Capitable, a Florida limited liability company that manages investments in the self-service laundry industry and real estate.[19]

Political positions

edit

Economy/Finance

edit

Mansur campaigned heavily on fiscal reform and is a strong proponent of adopting a Singapore model of economic development based on territorial taxation. He is also a strong advocate of reducing the size and costs of the public sector and increasing labor flexibility.[20][21][22][23]

Humans Rights

edit

As the first openly gay party leader in Aruba,[24] Mansur and his party unequivocally advocate for equal rights for the LGBT community including marriage equality.[25][26]

Immigration

edit

His party campaigned for the regularization of the roughly 20,000 undocumented persons in Aruba and their integration into the formal economy and society.[27]

Netherlands

edit

He campaigned for closer relations to the Netherlands and is a supporter of the Landspakket or country agreement between Aruba and the Netherlands.[28]

Social Policy

edit

His stances are very progressive and his party was the first to include abortion and euthanasia as part of its platform along with the legalization of recreational cannabis.[29]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Gevonden in Delpher - Amigoe". www.delpher.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 2022-01-07.
  2. ^ Elizette (2021-05-07). "Accion 21 a entrega su lista na Censo". 24ora.com. Retrieved 2022-01-07.
  3. ^ NoticiaCla (2021-07-01). "Nombernan di parlamentarionan cu tin cu huramenta otro siman, ta conoci". NoticiaCla. Retrieved 2022-01-07.
  4. ^ Rafael (2021-06-29). "Miguel Mansur ta e votegetter entre candidatonan nobo". 24ora.com. Retrieved 2022-01-07.
  5. ^ https://www.censo.aw/main/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Besluit-van-het-hoofdstembureau-tot-vaststelling-van-de-uitslag-der-verkiezing-van-de-leden-van-de-Staten.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  6. ^ "Gevonden in Delpher - Amigoe di Curacao : weekblad voor de Curacaosche eilanden". www.delpher.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 2022-01-07.
  7. ^ "Gevonden in Delpher - Amigoe di Curacao : weekblad voor de Curacaosche eilanden". www.delpher.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 2022-01-07.
  8. ^ "Historia di Aruba - Eloy Arends Manor". www.historiadiaruba.aw. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
  9. ^ "Gevonden in Delpher - Amigoe". www.delpher.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 2022-01-08.
  10. ^ "Gevonden in Delpher - Amigoe di Curacao : weekblad voor de Curacaosche eilanden". www.delpher.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 2022-01-08.
  11. ^ "Gevonden in Delpher - Amigoe di Curacao : weekblad voor de Curacaosche eilanden". www.delpher.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 2022-01-08.
  12. ^ "Gevonden in Delpher - Amigoe". www.delpher.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 2022-01-08.
  13. ^ "Gevonden in Delpher - Amigoe". www.delpher.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 2022-01-08.
  14. ^ Eindredactie. "Opinie: Autonomie Aruba: de weg naar welvaart of armoede?". Antilliaans Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 2022-01-08.
  15. ^ "Sopi Mix Studio: Sopi Mix/Den Cayente #003 - "Politica ta Cruel" on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
  16. ^ Patrick (2020-07-18). "Status Aparte: Caminda pa prosperidad of pobresa?". 24ora.com. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
  17. ^ Elizette (2020-12-18). "Miguel Mansur a funda Partido Accion 21 oficialmente". 24ora.com. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
  18. ^ Tango (2021-07-07). "Miguel Mansur ta cla pa e reto". 24ora.com. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
  19. ^ Eindredactie. "Opinie: Autonomie Aruba: de weg naar welvaart of armoede?". Antilliaans Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 2022-01-08.
  20. ^ "Plan di Partido – Accion 21". Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  21. ^ Elizette (2021-08-20). "Miguel Mansur (Accion 21): Gobierno ta sigui manca nos economia". 24ora.com. Retrieved 2022-01-21.
  22. ^ Pinto, Juan Luis (2021-12-30). "Miguel Mansur: E propio sector publico costoso ta stroba economia di por crece y diversifica". Bon Dia Aruba | Noticia di Aruba. Retrieved 2022-01-21.
  23. ^ Pinto, Juan Luis (2021-12-20). "CAft y Miguel Mansur ta de acuerdo: Sin aplicacion di mecanismo den e BVP no por cumpli cu reduccion structural di gasto di personal publico". Bon Dia Aruba | Noticia di Aruba. Retrieved 2022-01-21.
  24. ^ "Thank you political candidates for coming forward". 1 Noticia. 2021-04-10. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  25. ^ Elizette (2021-08-20). "Miguel Mansur (Accion 21): Gobierno ta sigui manca nos economia". 24ora.com. Retrieved 2022-01-21.
  26. ^ Pinto, Juan Luis (2021-02-26). "Miguel Mansur (ACCION 21): Comunidad receptivo pa union civil pa parehanan di mesun sexo". Bon Dia Aruba | Noticia di Aruba. Retrieved 2022-01-21.
  27. ^ Pinto, Juan Luis (2021-08-18). "Minister President a contesta preguntanan di Parlamentario Miguel Mansur: "Parlamentarionan mester ta cauteloso y usa informacion corecto"". Bon Dia Aruba | Noticia di Aruba. Retrieved 2022-01-21.
  28. ^ Elizette (2021-08-20). "Miguel Mansur (Accion 21): Gobierno ta sigui manca nos economia". 24ora.com. Retrieved 2022-01-21.
  29. ^ Pinto, Juan Luis (2020-11-05). "Miguel Mansur di partido 'Futuro Nobo': 'Prome partido liberal na Aruba contra politica tradicional'". Bon Dia Aruba | Noticia di Aruba. Retrieved 2022-01-21.