Luis Carlos Ugalde

Luis Carlos Ugalde Ramírez (born 1966 in Mexico City) is a Mexican scholar who served as president of the Federal Electoral Institute from 2003 to 2007.

Education

Luis Carlos Ugalde received a Ph.D. in political science (1999) and a master's degree in political science (1994) and public administration (1992), all from Columbia University. He also holds a B.A. in economics from the ITAM (1990).

Career

Luis Carlos Ugalde was a professor of political science and chair of the undergraduate program in political science and international relations at the Center for Economic Research and Teaching (CIDE) in Mexico City. He has been a researcher and adjunct professor at various academic institutions, including Harvard University's David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies (2001); Georgetown University (2002): American University (2000); the Autonomous Technological Institute of Mexico, ITAM, (1989-1996); and the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Studies, ITESM, (2003).

In addition to his academic career, he has worked in the Mexican government. He was chief of staff to the Secretary of Energy in 1997 and chief of staff at Mexico's embassy to the United States of America from 1997 to 2000. Ugalde is a permanent member of the Mexican Council for Economic and Social Development (COMDES). Ugalde showed political ambitions form an early stage and was linked to the long time ruling party of Mexico, the PRI, where he served as part of the idelogy commission linked to Jesus Reyes Heroles.

He was appointed president of the Federal Electoral Institute by Congress in October 2003. His appointed was highly contested as was viewed as the result of a political compromise backed by Elba Esther Gordillo, long time leader of the education workers' union.

After the 2006 Presidential Election, Ugalde´s role as President of the Federal Electoral Institute came under fire, as the losing candidate demanded a recount. Lopez Obrador called him "electoral felon" as Ugalde rightly refused to perform the recount. The pressure from the political parties resulted in a legal reform that would, among other things, mandated the replacement of Ugalde.

The 2007 electoral reform included the dismisal of Luis Carlos Ugalde from his position by designing a new President of the IFE. The Congress had until December 13, 2007 to designate Luis Carlos Ugalde's succesor but postponed the date of the designation of the new President of th IFE until February 2008. Ugalde, following the reforms, decided to leave the IFE on December 14, 2007; He resigned first before the General Council and then filed his resignation before the Congress.

Since January 2008, Ugalde is the Robert F. Kennedy Visiting Professor of Latin American Studies at Harvard University.

External links

* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMUBb7eogP0
* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3-D-UJsBNQ
* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLMJV3JZU7g