Rubén Costas

Rubén Costas was born on 6 October 1955 in Santa Cruz de la Sierra to Rubén Costas Menacho and Guedy Aguilera de Costas. He is married to Sonia Vincentti Égüez.{{Cite web|date=2016-11-14|title=Rubén Costas dice: En el 2019 voy a ser el presidente de Bolivia|url=https://www.infodiez.com/ruben-costas-dice-en-el-2019-voy-a-ser-el-presidente-de-bolivia/|access-date=2021-03-24|website=Infodiez {{!}} Bolivia Noticias|language=es}} Originally an agricultural technician by profession, he later became leader of the Bolivian Cattlemen's Confederation, the Milk Producers Association, the Eastern Agricultural Chamber. From 2003 to 2004, he was the leader of the Santa Cruz Civic Committee.

Costas successfully ran in the 2005 general elections for the office of Prefect of Santa Cruz on behalf of the Autonomy for Bolivia party.[http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/pictures/LPZ0311.htm Bolivia's opposition governor Ruben Costas.] This election was the result of several negotiations and large, peaceful public demonstrations in Santa Cruz demanding that prefects, the highest office in each of the nine departments, be elected by popular vote. Prior to that, the provisions of the 1967 Constitution stated that prefects were to be appointed by the president.{{Cite web|title=Bolivia: Constitución Política de 1967|url=https://pdba.georgetown.edu/Constitutions/Bolivia/bolivia1967.html|access-date=2021-03-24|website=pdba.georgetown.edu}} Due to popular demand and negotiations led by Costas, the Bolivian National Congress approved Law 3015 to formalize the prefect election process.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lavanguardia.com/internacional/20080505/53460656894/santa-cruz-marca-otro-hito-en-su-demanda-autonomica.html|title=Santa Cruz marca otro hito en su demanda autonómica|date=4 May 2008}} This was a major victory for the autonomy movement, born out of the eastern region of Bolivia, that fought for decentralization of political power.{{Cite web|url=https://www.noticiasfides.com/nacional/politica/ruben-costas-juro-como-nuevo-prefecto-de-santa-cruz-73873|title=Rubén Costas juró como nuevo Prefecto de Santa Cruz}}

Following the 2005 elections, Costas became the first democratically elected Prefect of Santa Cruz, being inaugurated on 22 January 2006. In 2008, he participated, along with all other departmental governors, in that year's no confidence referendum, with 66% of voters electing to keep him in office.{{Cite web|date=2008-12-07|url=http://www.cne.org.bo/resultadosrr08/resultadosrr08.htm|access-date=2021-03-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207173718/http://www.cne.org.bo/resultadosrr08/resultadosrr08.htm|archive-date=7 December 2008|title=Referéndum Revocatorio 2008 }} Costas remained in office until 5 January 2010 when, following the promulgation of 2009 Constitution, he resigned to run for governor (the same office, renamed under the new constitution) in that year's regional elections.{{Cite web|last=Pereyra|first=Omar|title=Uno de ellos podría ser el próximo gobernador cruceño, conozca sus perfiles|url=https://eju.tv/2020/11/uno-de-ellos-podria-ser-el-proximo-gobernador-cruceno-conozca-sus-perfiles/|access-date=2021-03-24|website=eju.tv|language=es}}File:Santa Cruz-04-04-2008.jpg

Costas ran as a member of the Truth and Social Democracy (VERDES) party, of which he was the leader, winning 54% of the popular vote and returning to the leadership of Santa Cruz on 30 May 2010. Since he took office, Costas remained strongly critical of the government of President Evo Morales because of Morales's opposition to decentralization.

On 12 April 2011, Costas was shot in the left temporal bone in the Blacutt Square of Santa Cruz de la Sierra after attempted to prevent the assault of a woman by two assailants on motorcycles.{{Cite web|date=2011-04-14|title=Hieren de un balazo en el cráneo a Rubén Costas|url=http://www.eldeber.com.bo/2011/2011-04-12/vernotaahora.php?id=110412110031|access-date=2021-03-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110414232924/http://www.eldeber.com.bo/2011/2011-04-12/vernotaahora.php?id=110412110031|archive-date=14 April 2011}} The injury was non-lethal and he was discharged a few weeks after the incident.

Ahead of the 2014 general elections, Costas merged his VERDES party with Renewing Freedom and Democracy (LIDER), and Popular Consensus (CP), forming the Democrat Social Movement (MDS).{{Cite web|date=2019-11-13|title=Costas da forma a un nuevo partido - La Razón|url=http://www.la-razon.com/nacional/Costas-da-forma-nuevo-partido_0_1805219492.html|access-date=2021-03-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191113000508/http://www.la-razon.com/nacional/Costas-da-forma-nuevo-partido_0_1805219492.html|archive-date=13 November 2019}} At the party's first National Congress on 15 December 2013, Costas was chosen as its presidential candidate.{{Cite web|last=Bolivia|first=Opinión|title=Demócratas arrancan previas y Costas no descarta ser candidato|url=https://www.opinion.com.bo/articulo/el-pais/democratas-arrancan-previas-costas-descarta-ser-candidato/20131105002600453099.html|access-date=2021-03-24|website=Opinión Bolivia|language=es}} However, the party withdrew from the elections, opting instead to ally with Samuel Doria Medina's National Unity Front. Instead, Costas successfully ran for a second term in the 2015 regional elections. On 11 December 2014, Costas resigned in favor of Assemblywoman Ruth Lozada in order to qualify as a gubernatorial candidate.{{Cite web|title=Costas dimite y Lozada gobernará Santa Cruz|url=https://www.la-razon.com/nacional/2014/12/12/costas-dimite-y-lozada-gobernara-santa-cruz/|access-date=2021-05-09|website=La Razón {{!}} Noticias de Bolivia y el Mundo|language=en}} Upon winning, he was inaugurated again on 31 May 2015.{{Cite web|title=DECRETO SUPREMO No 2386 del 31 de Mayo de 2015 » Derechoteca.com|url=https://www.derechoteca.com/gacetabolivia/decreto-supremo-no-2386-del-31-de-mayo-de-2015/|access-date=2021-05-09|website=www.derechoteca.com}}

After more than 14 years in power in Santa Cruz, Costas announced that he would not run for reelection nor run for the office of Mayor of Santa Cruz de la Sierra in the following year's regional elections.{{Cite web|title=Costas da un paso al costado, se perfila un acuerdo en Santa Cruz|url=https://www.paginasiete.bo/nacional/2020/12/18/costas-da-un-paso-al-costado-se-perfila-un-acuerdo-en-santa-cruz-278433.html|access-date=2021-03-24|website=www.paginasiete.bo|language=spanish}} The MDS did not present its own gubernatorial candidate to succeed Costas, instead choosing to endorse Creemos leader Luis Fernando Camacho, who ultimately won in the first round.{{Cite web|date=2020-12-29|title=Siete frentes respaldan a Camacho y Creemos no apoyará a ningún candidato a la Alcaldía cruceña|url=https://www.lostiempos.com/actualidad/pais/20201229/siete-frentes-respaldan-camacho-creemos-no-apoyara-ningun-candidato|access-date=2021-03-24|website=Los Tiempos|language=es}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWr1adpmONA Declarations the Rubén Costas, 4 de mayo de 2008]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTBtGn050Nc Autonomy for the rich ones, revolution for the poor men 1]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ScYRox69vU Autonomy for the rich ones, revolution for the poor men 2]

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Category:1955 births

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century Bolivian politicians

Category:Autonomy for Bolivia politicians

Category:Bolivian environmentalists

Category:People from Santa Cruz de la Sierra