Óscar Valdés Explained

Oscar Valdés
Office:Prime Minister of Peru
President:Ollanta Humala
Term Start:11 December 2011
Term End:23 July 2012
Predecessor:Salomón Lerner Ghitis
Successor:Juan Jiménez Mayor
Office2:Minister of Interior
President2:Ollanta Humala
Primeminister2:Salomon Lerner
Term Start2:28 July 2011
Term End2:10 December 2011
Predecessor2:Miguel Hidalgo Medina
Successor2:Daniel Lozada
Birth Date:3 April 1949
Birth Place:Lima, Peru
Party:Independent
Alma Mater:Chorrillos Military School
United States Army Command and General Staff College
Allegiance: Peru
Serviceyears:1972–1991
Rank:Lieutenant colonel

Oscar Eduardo Valdés Dancuart (born 3 April 1949) is a Peruvian businessman and politician who was Prime Minister of Peru from 11 December 2011 until 23 July 2012. A former military officer, he was appointed Minister of the Interior by President Ollanta Humala on 28 July 2011. Less than five months later, Prime Minister Salomón Lerner Ghitis resigned and Valdés was appointed his successor on 11 December 2011.[1] He was dismissed on 23 July 2012, after criticism on his handling of the Conga Mining project.

Background

Born in Lima, Valdés studied at the Chorrillos Military School from 1968 to 1972, and he entered the service of the Peruvian Army as a second lieutenant of the artillery afterwards. From 1987 to 1988 he took course in command and staff at the United States Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth. During the 1980s, he acted as an instructor at the Chorrillos military academy, where Ollanta Humala was his student. Valdés retired from army service in January 1991[2] when he was lieutenant colonel, because he was shunted from promotion by intelligence chief Vladimiro Montesinos. Following his resignation, Valdés engaged in the private sector, managing different businesses in his home region of Tacna.

Valdés took a tough stance towards the protesters against the controversial Conga mining project and social conflicts in general. Ex-president Alejandro Toledo, whose Possible Peru party supported the Humala administration so far, expressed concerns about the "militarization" of the government. The confrontational stance towards the conflict finally led to Valdés' dismissal on 23 July 2012.[3]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Peru. Rulers. 13 April 2013.
  2. http://200.37.211.183/hdverm2010/public/verhojadevida.aspx?ID_CANDIDATO=12678&ID_ORG_POLITICA=1501 Resume at the National Jury of Elections
  3. News: Peru's Humala Names New Cabinet to Quell Minas Conga Dispute. 13 April 2013. Fox Business. Lima.