Fernando Vásquez

Fernando Iván Vásquez Arnez (born 24 May 1962) is a Bolivian geotechnical and mining engineer and politician who served as minister of mining and metallurgy from 8 May to 30 May 2020. He previously served as vice minister of productive development and metallurgical mining from 2019 to 2020 and as director of the environment and public consultation from 2006 to 2011. Shortly into his ministerial term, Vásquez stated that his white complexion made him incapable of being a member of the Movement for Socialism, causing broad condemnation and his removal from office less than a month after being appointed.

Not to be confused with Fernando Vázquez.
This article is about the politician. For other uses, see Fernando Vázquez (disambiguation).
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Vásquez and the second or maternal family name is Arnez.

Fernando Vásquez
Headshot of Fernando Vásquez wearing a surgical mask.
Minister of Mining and Metallurgy
In office
8 May 2020 – 30 May 2020
PresidentJeanine Áñez
Preceded byCarlos Huallpa
Succeeded byJorge Oropeza
Vice Minister of Productive Development and Metallurgical Mining
In office
3 December 2019 – 8 May 2020
PresidentJeanine Áñez
MinisterCarlos Huallpa
Personal details
Born
Fernando Iván Vásquez Arnez

(1962-05-24) 24 May 1962
Catavi, Potosí, Bolivia
Alma materUniversity of São Paulo (PhD)
Occupation
  • Engineer
  • politician
SignatureCursive signature in ink

Early life and career

Fernando Vásquez was born on 24 May 1962 in Catavi in the Rafael Bustillo Province of the Potosí Department.[1] He studied at the Junín School before conducting university studies abroad, graduating from the University of São Paulo in Brazil, where he received a PhD in mining and geotechnical engineering.[2] Returning to Bolivia, he worked as a university assistant and teacher and was a consultant in the field of mining and geology, later being employed by institutions such as the Mining Financing Fund, Hanaer and Sinchi Wayra Mining Companies, the Federation of Gold Mining Cooperatives of the North of La Paz, and the Swiss Technical Cooperation, among others. During the ministerial administrations of Luis Alberto Echazú and José Antonio Pimentel, Vásquez worked as the director of the environment and public consultation within the Ministry of Mining. He held the position until 2011.[3]

Aside from Spanish, Vásquez is fluent in two other languages: Portuguese and Quechua.[2][4]

Minister of Mining

On 3 December 2019, Minister of Mining Carlos Huallpa appointed Vásquez as vice minister of productive development and metallurgical mining.[5] He held the position until 8 May, when President Jeanine Áñez appointed him to replace Huallpa, who had resigned for personal reasons.[6][7] Regarding Vásquez's appointment, the president assured that his office "will be one of the most important supports of the Bolivian economy" and assured that she was "entrusting him with a large part of Bolivia's hopes".[8]

Vásquez elbow bumps Áñez shortly after being sworn in.
President Jeanine Áñez swears Vásquez in as minister, 8 May 2020.

Due to his previous work in the government of President Evo Morales, Vásquez denied having a connection to the former president's Movement for Socialism (MAS-IPSP) party. In a statement to Radio Fides Potosí on 29 May, Vásquez assured that he was incapable of being a member of the MAS because "to be a Masista there are some specifications, including identity; I have green eyes, curly hair, I am white. I do not want to discriminate, but I think that my conditions do not make me compatible with the rest of the people of the Movement for Socialism".[9] The statement generated criticism from both the MAS and members of the opposition, with National Unity leader Samuel Doria Medina stating that "qualifying others and oneself by the color of their skin and eyes is an act of ignorance and stupidity the size of Illimani. It is inadmissible. The minister of mining must publicly apologize."[10] Vásquez did so the following day, calling his statement "totally wrong" but defending that it had been made ironically, a figure of speech he claimed "is not always well understood".[11]

Nonetheless, the majority MAS caucus in the Plurinational Legislative Assembly released a public demand that president remove the minister. Áñez complied, and on 30 May, she dismissed Vásquez from his post, citing his "racist expressions", bringing an end to his tenure after just twenty-two days.[12] He was replaced in the position by Jorge Oropeza, the former mayor of Potosí, on 12 June.[13]

References
  1. "El potosino Fernando Vásquez fue posesionado como Ministro de Minería y Metalurgia". autoridadminera.gob.bo (in Spanish). 8 May 2020. Archived from the original on 31 January 2022. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  2. "Presidenta posesiona al potosino Fernando Vásquez como Ministro de Minería". comunicacion.gob.bo (in Spanish). La Paz: Ministry of Communication. 8 May 2020. Archived from the original on 4 December 2021. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  3. Corz, Carlos (29 May 2020). "Ministro Vásquez niega vínculo con el MAS y alega: 'tengo ojos verdes, (soy) un poco crespo ... soy blanco'". La Razón (in Spanish). La Paz. Archived from the original on 15 April 2021. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  4. "Cambian dos ministros: Ortiz asume en Desarrollo Productivo y Vásquez en Minería" (in Spanish). La Paz. ERBOL. 8 May 2020. Archived from the original on 4 December 2021. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  5. "Ministro Huallpa posesiona a dos viceministros". autoridadminera.gob.bo (in Spanish). 5 December 2019. Archived from the original on 31 January 2022. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  6. Áñez Chávez, Jeanine (8 May 2020). "Decreto Presidencial N° 4233". gacetaoficialdebolivia.gob.bo (in Spanish). La Paz: Gaceta Oficial del Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  7. "Óscar Ortiz y Fernando Vásquez asumen como nuevos ministros del gabinete de Áñez". UNITEL (in Spanish). Santa Cruz de la Sierra. 8 May 2020. Archived from the original on 4 December 2021. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  8. "Áñez posesiona a dos ministros y les insta a reactivar la economía". Correo del Sur (in Spanish). Sucre. 8 May 2020. Archived from the original on 12 May 2020. Retrieved 3 December 2021. '... la minería será uno de los soportes más importantes de la economía de Bolivia ...', [Jeanine Áñez] le dijo a Vásquez, al agregar: 'Le estoy encargando gran parte de las esperanzas de Bolivia'.
  9. Corz, Carlos (29 May 2020). "Ministro Vásquez niega vínculo con el MAS y alega: 'tengo ojos verdes, (soy) un poco crespo ... soy blanco'". La Razón (in Spanish). La Paz. Archived from the original on 15 April 2021. Retrieved 3 December 2021. 'Ahora, con respecto a mi vinculación con el MAS, creo que no tengo ni los requisitos porque para ser masista hay algunas especificaciones, inclusive de identidad; tengo ojos verdes, un poco crespo, eso no me permite, soy blanco, no quiero discriminar, pero creo que esas mis condiciones no hacen que yo sea compatible con el resto de las personas del Movimiento al Socialismo', [Vásquez] afirmó durante una entrevista con radio Fides Potosí ...
  10. "Llueven críticas a ministro por sus declaraciones de sus 'ojos verdes' y el MAS". Página Siete (in Spanish). La Paz. 3 May 2020. Archived from the original on 31 May 2020. Retrieved 3 December 2021. '... Samuel Doria Medina también criticó las declaraciones de Vásquez: 'Calificar a los demás y a uno mismo por el color de su piel y sus ojos es un acto de ignorancia y estupidez del tamaño del Illimani. Es inadmisible. El ministro de Minería debe disculparse públicamente. Lo rechazo categóricamente'.
  11. "Ministro de Minería pide disculpas por sus declaraciones; afirma que fue una reacción irónica". Correo del Sur (in Spanish). Sucre. 30 May 2020. Archived from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 3 December 2021. Reconozco que mi respuesta ha sido totalmente equivocada, con mucha ironía y la ironía no siempre es bien entendida.
  12. "Áñez destituyó al ministro de Minería de Bolivia por sus 'expresiones racistas'". Infobae (in Spanish). Buenos Aires. 31 May 2020. Archived from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 3 December 2021. 'Como presidenta he decidido la destitución del ministro Vásquez por sus expresiones racistas ...', afirmó Áñez ...
  13. "Jorge Oropeza, exalcalde de Potosí, es el nuevo ministro de Minería" (in Spanish). La Paz. Urgente.bo. 12 June 2020. Archived from the original on 20 August 2022. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
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