José Ignacio Echeverría | |
|---|---|
_Jornadas_Econ%25C3%25B3micas_Abiertas_del_PP_de_Moncloa-Aravaca_(7010588059)_(cropped).jpg) In 2012 | |
| President of the Assembly of Madrid | |
| In office 7 June 2011 – 9 June 2015 | |
| Minister of Transportation of the Community of Madrid | |
| In office 26 June 2008 – 17 June 2011 | |
| Member of the Assembly of Madrid | |
| In office 30 June 1999 – 17 December 2015 | |
| Deputy Mayor of Madrid | |
| In office 1996–1999 | |
| Madrid City Councillor | |
| In office 27 February 1987 – 3 July 1999 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1946-02-08)8 February 1946 (age 80) |
| Citizenship | Spanish |
| Party | People's Alliance(1981–1989) People's Party(since 1989) |
| Occupation | Politician, lawyer,legal advisor |
José Ignacio Echevarría Echániz (born 1946) is a Spanish politician active in the scope of Madrilenian politics. A former city councillor, member of the Assembly of Madrid and senator, he served as Minister of Transportation of theGovernment of the Community of Madrid (2008–2011) and chaired theregional legislature from 2011 to 2015.
Born on 8 February 1946 inTangier,[1] Morocco, then aninternational zone. He graduated in Law and Business Administration at theICADE, in Madrid.[2][3] Before entering politics he also worked as lawyer and legal advisor.[3]
Echeverría, who had joinedPeople's Alliance (AP) on 24 September 1981,[3] ran as candidate in the list of the AP–PDP–UL coalition for the1983 Madrid municipal election but he was not elected then. Nonetheless, he became a member of theMadrid City Council later in the term, on 27 February 1987,[4] covering a vacant seat. He renovated the seat in theMay 1987 election, in which he had run 9th in the AP list.[5] After the 1989 successfulvote of no-confidence onJuan Barranco and the subsequent investiture ofAgustín Rodríguez Sahagún as the new Mayor he became a member of the municipal government board, charged with the competences of Economy and Finance.[2] Re-elected in 1991, he had powers in Urbanism during the first municipal government ofJosé María Álvarez del Manzano.[6] During his last term at the city council, between 1995 and 1999 he had competences in Traffic and Citizen Security,[6] also becoming the first deputy Mayor in 1996,[7] replacingEsperanza Aguirre.
Following problems in the municipal areas of government within his powers, such as the forging of signatures of municipal policemen, or a municipal by-law punishing people running in the street and people waiting for the bus outside of the shelter, the PP decided to remove him from government responsibilities and designate him a candidate to the1999 regional election, with no intended executive responsibilities.[6]
Running 18th in the PP list for the1999 elections to the Assembly of Madrid,[8] Echeverría became a member of the 5th term of theregional legislature. He would subsequently renovate his seat in theMay 2003,October 2003,2007,2011 and2015 elections. Between 2005 and 2008, he also served as Senator, designated by the Assembly of Madrid.[1]
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"Mr. Walker", as Echeverría is known in political circles,[9] returned to executive responsibilities in 2008, following his appointment byEsperanza Aguirre as member of theCouncil of Government of the Community of Madrid, at the helm of the Ministry of Transportation, replacing Manuel Lamela in a cabinet reshuffle. He was sworn into office on 26 June 2008.[10]
On 10 March 2011, during his mandate as Minister of Transportation, he wrongly stated in a parliamentary response to Socialist MP Modesto Nolla that theMetrobús (the popular 10-trip ticket for bus and rapid transit) "does not exist".[11][12] Amid heavy criticism, Echeverría recognised it to be the worst "mistake" in his political career and handed in his resignation some days later, but the regional president Esperanza Aguirre did not accept it.[13]
Following the formation of a new cabinet after the2011 regional election Echeverría was removed from his post of Minister, replaced by Antonio Beteta.[14] During the 9th term of the Assembly of Madrid (2011–2015) Echeverría chaired the presidency of the legislature. He was re-elected for his last term in theMay 2015 regional election. In December 2015 he had a car accident while driving inCollado Villalba. He was measured analcohol content of 0.65 mg/L of exhaled breath (well over the allowed rate of 0.25 mg/L). He resigned to his seat in the Assembly of Madrid on 17 December.[15]
On 8 March 2017 he was called to declare by the judge Eloy Velasco as accused party for his alleged involvement in thePúnica corruption scheme.[16]
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