Felipe Sapag

Felipe Sapag (b. 1917-02-14) is an Argentine politician, governor of Neuquén Province on five occasions and a leading figure in the Neuquino People's Movement and the locally influential Sapag family.

Sapag was born in Zapala to Lebanese immigrants who had moved to Neuquén in 1913. His elder brother was Elías Sapag, later a senator, and their younger brothers were Amado and José. Felipe Sapag studied in Zapala and Bahía Blanca, but could not finish his secondary education due to the hardship his family endured after the 1930 economic collapse. He and his brothers began to work to support the family and moved to Cutral-Có to set up a company. He and his brothers played leading roles in the community, and Felipe founded the local energy co-op and the sports and cultural centre. A Peronist activist, he became a councillor and the first mayor of Cutral-Có in 1952.

Following the military coup d'etat and the banning of the Peronist movement, Sapag and his brothers, together with Carlos Sobisch, founded the Neuquino People's Movement, a provincial political party able to contest elections. Originally called 'Provincial Politics', it came into being on 1961-06-04.

Sapag first stood for governor in March 1962 but the elections were annulled by the military government. He was elected governor of Neuquén in 1963, gaining 60% of the vote, and left office in June 1966, deposed by the military. In 1970, in an unexpected decision, he accepted the offer of the military government to become federal intervenor of the province, ruling it until 1972. The following year he was re-elected governor but was again removed after the 1976 military coup.

Following the restoration of democracy, Sapag was able to stand to be governor once again, serving 1983-87 and 1991-95. Even in old age he has continued to be active in the politics of his province, with calls for him to be expelled from the party he helped found for helping Néstor Kirchner in the 2003 election, and supporting members of the Sapag family in their campaigns.

Sapag is married to Estela Romeo. They had four children - Luis Felipe, Silvia Estela, Ricardo and Enrique. Ricardo and Enrique disappeared in the Dirty War following the 1976 coup.

References

* [http://www.sapag.com.ar/ver.php?id=9 Sapag family history] by Luis Felipe Sapag
* [http://www.neuquen.gov.ar/capitalidad/recorrido_historia/biografia_sapag.htm Biography] , government of Neuquén