Richard Mardo
Richard Miguel Mardo Mardo (born 11 July 1970, Maracay) is a Venezuelan politician. He is the leader of the Justice First party in Aragua, as well as one of its deputy leaders, along with Carlos Ocariz. He was a member of the National Assembly of Venezuela from 2011 to 2016.
Richard Mardo | |
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Mardo in 2012. | |
Federal Deputy for Aragua | |
In office 5 January 2011 – 5 January 2016 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Maracay, Venezuela | 11 July 1970
Political party | Justice First |
Alma mater | University of Carabobo |
Biography
He did his primary studies at the Republic of Mexico College, located in the center of Maracay. His studies were also at Juan Vicente Bolívar high school and Valentín Espinal high school. Finally, he graduated from high school at Agustín Codazzi high school. He entered the University of Carabobo, La Morita, where he obtained a bachelor's degree in Commercial Administration in 2000. He began his working life from a very young age, as a peddler on Pérez Almarza boulevard, to then dedicate himself to the textile area.
Political career
In 2000, he joined Justice First. He is one of the founding members of the party in Aragua. Within the party, he holds the position of secretary of Regional Civil Justice, then became secretary of Regional Organization and, subsequently, in 2005, he was appointed general coordinator of the state of Aragua, a position in which he was re-elected for in February 2007, with ample support from party bases. He is also the National Assistant Secretary General of the National Board of Justice First.
Candidacy for Mayor of Girardot
In the regional elections of 2008, Mardo was the candidate to the mayoralty of Girardot in Aragua, in which he lost in a very close vote by 151 votes against the PSUV candidate Pedro Bastidas.[1]
Deputy to the National Assembly
In 2010 a campaign called "Es Tiempo de Cambiar" was launched, which ended with the launching of his candidacy by Justice First in the city of Maracay on 30 January 2010, and months later it was supported by the rest of the political parties that formed the Democratic Unity Roundtable. He was elected deputy of circuit one of Aragua with 152,722 votes (27.73%).[2][3]
Within the National Assembly, he was a part of the Permanent Commission of Culture and Recreation in 2011.
Primary elections, 2012
Mardo was a candidate in Aragua to contend for the opposition candidacy to the state's governorship, earning 163,959 votes, which represented 88% of the votes cast on 12 February 2012.[4]
Regional elections, 2012
In the 2012 Venezuelan regional elections, Mardo lost the gubernatorial election of Aragua against the PSUV candidate, Tareck El Aissami, by 11.39%.[5]
Controversies
On February 5, 2013, Diosdado Cabello, president of the National Assembly of Venezuela, presented alleged evidence of corruption against Mardo.[6] The evidence presented by Cabello were checks received by Mardo which amounted to 600 million bolívars, but he only declared less than 1500 bolívars to the treasury.[7] In his defense, Mardo said that up to that point he received a call from someone he described as the "saltatalanquera" (referring to deputy William Ojeda), in which, according to Mardo, on instructions from Cabello he was asked to change sides and freeze "the pot" that was presented in the assembly. In regards to the evidence, he went directly to Cabello and told him that he was "more of a drug trafficker, more of an accomplice to this corruption than any of us. I hope you give me the time you dedicate to these 'pots' to teach you true social work."[8]
References
- "Divulgación Elecciones Regionales 2008" (in Spanish). Consejo Nacional Electoral. 23 November 2008. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
- "Proclamados en Aragua ocho diputados electos a la Asamblea Nacional" (in Spanish). Agencia Venezolana de Noticias. 28 September 2010. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
- "Divulgación Elecciones Parlamentarias" (in Spanish). Consejo Nacional Electoral. 26 September 2010. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
- Rivero, Rosa (13 February 2012). "Richard Mardo candidato a la gobernación de Aragua con más de 163 mil votos" (in Spanish). Notitarde. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
- "DIVULGACIÓN REGIONALES 2012" (in Spanish). Consejo Nacional Electoral. 16 December 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
- "Diosdado Cabello presentó pruebas de presunta corrupción contra Richard Mardo (+fotos)" (in Spanish). Noticias24. 5 February 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
- "Mardo recibió más de 600 millones de bolívares y declaró menos de Bs. 1.500 al fisco" (in Spanish). Agencia Venezolana de Noticias (AVN). 5 February 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
- "Diputado Richard Mardo afirma que primero jusitcia va por camino correcto" (in Spanish). Correo del Orinoco. Retrieved 1 February 2019.