Mariano Arana

Son and grandson of Spanish immigrants, Arana attended the Lycée Français de Montevideo and was a graduate of the Faculty of Architecture of the University of the Republic. He was also a teacher and Director of the Institute of History of Architecture, among the many other activities during college.

Arana was the founder of the Banda Oriental Editions and was chairman of the Comisión de Patrimonio Histórico, Artístico y Cultural de la Nación between 1985 and 1989.

Arana wrote numerous books, ranging from architecture to politics. On the latter subject is his latest book, written jointly with Prof. Oscar Destouet, entitled 5 Vertientes de la Izquierda (5 Slopes of the Left), which is a compilation of information from publications of five leading thinkers of the Uruguayan left: Oscar Bruschera (history teacher), Peter Seré (lawyer, consultant of Liber Seregni), Reina Reyes (teacher), Mario Kaplun (communicator) and Hector Rodriguez (trade unionist, member of the guild of tailors).

Arana died on 4 June 2023, at the age of 90.[1]

Arana was the founder and leader of the Vertiente Artiguista (Artiguista Movement), in whose list he was elected senator in 1989, a position he held until 1994, currently held by Eleonora Bianchi. Arana was chairman of the Plenario Departamental de Montevideo of the Frente Amplio and was a candidate for the Frente Amplio in the Municipality of Montevideo in 1984 and again in 1994, an occasion on which he was elected Mayor with 42% of votes; subsequently he was re-elected in the municipal elections of May 2000 with 58% of the total votes cast.

During his performance as mayor, he implemented the Strategic Plan Montevideo, a plan to renovate the facades of edifices and reorder urban areas of the city.

When Tabaré Vázquez assumed the presidency in 2005, he was appointed Minister of Housing, Territorial Planning and Environment, accompanied by his colleague, undersecretary Jaime Igorra. He served until 1 March 2008, and was succeeded at that time by Carlos Colacce.

Arana also served as a Councillor for the Montevideo Departmental Junta up until his death, after being dropped from the charge of Minister of Housing, Territorial Planning and Environment.