Antonio Villaraigosa

Antonio R. Villaraigosa (born Antonio Villar the January 23rd 1953 with East Los Angeles) was elected Maire of the town of Los Angeles in California the May 17th 2005. It took up duties on July 1st, 2005 succeeding James Hahn, the outgoing mayor, whom it beat.

Villaraigosa is the first mayor Latino of Los Angeles since 1872 and the end of the mandate of Cristobal Aguilar.

Biography

Antonio Villaraigosa was born in the barrio (Hispanic district) from East-Los Angeles from immigrant parents Mexican. His/her father is alcoholic and violent.

After a difficult childhood, it is excluded from the college to adolescence. It sinks in alcohol and drug, and is even condemned for violence. At that time, it is made tattoo on the arm “ Born to raise hell ” (“Born for foutre fire”).

It returns on the right way with the assistance of his mother and the one of her professors and ends up taking down in 1977 a diploma of right to the the University of California of Los Angeles (UCLA).

When Antonio Villar marries Corina Raigosa, the new couple combines their two patronyms to be called henceforth Villaraigosa.

Antonio Villaraigosa enters in policy by the trade-union fight and in 1994, it is elected under the democratic label with the Parliament of California from which he will become the announcer (president) later four years.

In 2001, candidate with the municipal election (not partisane) of Los Angeles, it is beaten by another democrat James Hahn.

In 2005, with the head of a coalition rejoining the electorates Hispanic, Jewish and black, Villaraigosa is elected Maire of Los Angeles with 59% of the voices compared with 41% with the outgoing mayor James Hahn, in spite in the active of this one of the fall of criminality and unemployment.

Its next challenges are to fight the many problems whose suffers the megalopolis like poverty, school failure and the gangs, pollution and the congestions or the housing shortage.

It does not make mystery of its political ambitions, in particular to face the republican governor of California in 2006, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Quotation

  • “Arnold, pay to! One arrives, Arnold! ”: Antonio Villaraigosa, on May 17th, 2005, at the evening of its victory.

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