José Antonio Alonso

José Antonio Alonso Suárez (28 March 1960 – 2 February 2017) was a Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) politician, cabinet minister and judge. He was born in León.

José Antonio Alonso, 2006

A jurist (judge since 1985 after graduating from the University of Leon, magistrate 1989 and criminal court judge with the provincial court in Madrid) and academic at the Law Faculty of the University of Leon before his political career, Alonso was elected to the Spanish Congress as a member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party in 2004, representing León Province and was re-elected in 2008.[1] He later served as spokesman for the PSOE Parliamentary Group.

From 18 April 2004 to 7 April 2006 he was the Minister of the Interior in the government of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero.[1] Described by his ministerial colleagues as a man "driven by his strong ideological beliefs and professionalism",[1] Zapatero is said to have chosen Alonso on the grounds that the latter would fight terrorism without compromising human rights.[1] Alonso served as the Minister of Defense until 11 April 2008. Prior to his election he had been a critic of the People's Party's support for George W. Bush and their alleged politicisation of judicial bodies.[2]

Alonso died from lung cancer in Madrid on 2 February 2017 at the age of 56.[3]

References

1. Spanish cabinet - key players, BBC News, 22 April 2004 Retrieved 2 June 2010
2. Women lead the way in the new Spanish government, The Independent, 19 April 2004
3. "Muere el exministro socialista José Antonio Alonso". ABC (in Spanish). 2 February 2017. Retrieved 2 February 2017.

External links

• Biography at Spanish Congress site