Luis Mariano Santos Explained

Luis Mariano Santos Reyero (born 1969) is a Spanish politician who is the Secretary General of the Leonese People's Union. He was the party's sole representative elected to the Cortes of Castile and León in 2015 and 2019, and one of three elected in 2022.

Biography

Born in Cistierna, Province of León, he graduated in Political Sciences from the Complutense University of Madrid and has a Master's degree in Human Resources. As of 2015, he had been a councillor in his hometown for 12 years.[1] In March 2015, he was chosen as his party's list leader for the Castilian-Leonese regional election in May, having previously been number 2 to Alejandro Valderas.[2] He was his party's only elected representative.[3] Four years later, he repeated the feat.[4] In the 2022 election, the party rose to three deputies, matching 1999 as its best result.[5]

While he and his party support León being a separate autonomous community to Castile,[3] Santos has rejected accusations from the People's Party and Citizens that he supports full independence: "we are pro-constitution, Spanish and Leonese".[6] The UPL's prospective region comprises the provinces of León, Zamora and Salamanca.[5]

Notes and References

  1. News: Luis Mariano Santos . 4 March 2021 . . 14 April 2015 . Spanish.
  2. News: Luis Mariano Santos encabeza la lista de UPL a las Cortes de Castilla y León. Luis Mariano Santos heads UPL's list for the Cortes of Castile and León . 4 March 2021 . . 27 March 2015 . Spanish.
  3. News: El único procurador de UPL jurará el cargo en las Cortes "por la autonomía del Reino de León". The UPL's only member of the Cortes will swear his role "for the autonomy of the Kingdom of León". 4 March 2021 . Diario de León . 15 June 2015 . Spanish.
  4. News: El leonesismo resiste y mantiene a Luis Mariano Santos. Leonesism resists and keeps Luis Mariano Santos in office. 4 March 2021 . Diario de Valladolid . 27 May 2019 . Spanish.
  5. News: Gálvez . J. J. . Unión del Pueblo Leonés crece y Por Ávila se mantiene. Leonese People's Union grows and For Ávila maintains. 14 February 2022 . . 13 February 2022 . Spanish.
  6. News: Luis Mariano Santos: "Somos constitucionalistas, españoles y leoneses". Luis Mariano Santos: "We are pro-constitution, Spanish and Leonese". 4 March 2021 . Leo Noticias . 1 January 2020 . Spanish.