Eduardo Raúl Costa
Eduardo Raúl Costa | |
|---|---|
Costa in the Argentine Senate (2018) | |
| National Senator | |
| In office 10 December 2017 – 10 December 2023 | |
| Constituency | Santa Cruz |
| National Deputy | |
| In office 10 December 2009 – 9 December 2017 | |
| Constituency | Santa Cruz |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Eduardo Raúl Costa 1961 (age 63–64) |
| Party | Radical Civic Union |
| Domestic partner | Mariana Zuvic (separated 2019) |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | University of Belgrano |
| Occupation | Politician; businessman; public accountant |
Eduardo Raúl Costa (born 1961) is an Argentine politician and businessman. He served as a National Deputy for Santa Cruz from 2009 to 2017 and as a National Senator for the same province from 2017 to 2023. He is a member of the Radical Civic Union (UCR).[1][2]
Early life and education
Costa was born in Río Gallegos, Santa Cruz, in 1961. He studied at the University of Belgrano in Buenos Aires, qualifying as a public accountant and business administrator.[3]
Business career
Before entering elective politics, Costa developed retail and construction–supply businesses across Patagonia. He is widely associated with the home-improvement and building–materials chain Hipertehuelche, which expanded in the 1990s and 2000s.[4][5]
Political career
Early candidacies
Costa first ran for governor of Santa Cruz in 2007 as the candidate of a UCR–Civic Coalition alliance; he was defeated by Daniel Peralta.[6] He ran again in 2011, when Peralta was re-elected; official provincial tallies list Costa as the main opposition contender.[7]
National Deputy (2009–2017)
Costa was elected National Deputy for Santa Cruz in 2009 and re-elected in 2013, serving until 2017.[8][9]
National Senator (2017–2023)
In the 2017 legislative election Costa won a seat in the Argentine Senate for Santa Cruz. He took the oath on 29 November 2017, with the term beginning on 10 December 2017.[10] His Senate tenure ended on 10 December 2023, when José María Carambia and Natalia Gadano assumed two of Santa Cruz's seats following the 2023 election.[11][12]
Gubernatorial bids in 2015 and 2019
Costa headed the opposition slate in the 2015 Santa Cruz provincial election|2015 gubernatorial election. Under the province's Ley de Lemas system in force at the time, Alicia Kirchner was elected governor despite Costa's sub-lema obtaining the largest individual vote; this outcome is reflected in the official results.[13][14] He ran again in 2019, when Alicia Kirchner secured re-election; English-language coverage and local tallies reported her victory over Costa's coalition list.[15][16]
Wealth and business interests
Based on his public financial disclosures, national media have repeatedly ranked Costa among the wealthiest members of Congress during the 2010s and 2020s.[17][18]
Personal life
Costa lived for over a decade with Argentine politician Mariana Zuvic; the couple separated in 2019.[19][20]
Electoral system note
Santa Cruz used Ley de Lemas for provincial offices until its repeal in 2024, a mechanism that aggregates sub-lists within a broader party label.[21][22]
References
- ^ "Juraron los 24 senadores electos: entre ellos Cristina Kirchner" [The 24 elected senators took the oath: among them Cristina Kirchner]. Infobae (in Spanish). 29 November 2017.
- ^ "Juraron las 24 senadoras y los 24 senadores electos". Senado de la Nación Argentina (in Spanish). 29 November 2017.
- ^ Arias, Mariela (12 June 2009). "Costa cambió la historia política de Santa Cruz" [Costa changed Santa Cruz’s political history]. La Nación (in Spanish).
- ^ "La crisis llegó a la cadena de supermercados de un rival de los Kirchner" [The crisis hit the retail chain owned by a Kirchner rival]. Clarín (in Spanish). 14 October 2019.
- ^ "Hipertehuelche invierte $30 millones para expandirse en la Patagonia". El Cronista (in Spanish). 21 December 2004.
- ^ "Festeja Kirchner con amplio triunfo de Peralta y Cristina en Santa Cruz". El Cronista (in Spanish). 29 October 2007.
- ^ "Resumen – Elecciones Generales 2011 (Gobernador)" (PDF). Gobierno de la Provincia de Santa Cruz (in Spanish). 2011.
- ^ Arias, Mariela (12 June 2009). "Costa cambió la historia política de Santa Cruz". La Nación (in Spanish).
- ^ "Versión taquigráfica – Sesión Especial 26/07/2017 (intervención del diputado Costa)". Honorable Cámara de Diputados de la Nación (video) (in Spanish). 26 July 2017.
- ^ "Juraron los 24 senadores electos: entre ellos Cristina Kirchner". Infobae (in Spanish). 29 November 2017.
- ^ "Juraron las y los 24 senadores electos". Senado de la Nación Argentina (in Spanish). 7 December 2023.
- ^ "Nuevas bancas: juraron los 23 senadores electos". El Diario de la República (in Spanish). 7 December 2023.
- ^ "Elecciones provinciales 2015 – Resultados oficiales (Gobernador)". Gobierno de la Provincia de Santa Cruz (in Spanish). 2015. Archived from the original on 2 November 2015.
- ^ Arias, Mariela (26 October 2015). "Cómo impactó la ley de lemas en Santa Cruz". La Nación (in Spanish).
- ^ "Alicia Kirchner re-elected Santa Cruz governor with solid win". Buenos Aires Times. 12 August 2019.
- ^ "Alicia Kirchner duplicó en votos a Costa y logró la reelección". La Nación (in Spanish). 12 August 2019.
- ^ "Eduardo Costa, el político más rico de la Argentina". Ámbito Financiero (in Spanish). 29 September 2015.
- ^ "Quiénes son los cinco senadores nacionales con mayor patrimonio". Infobae (in Spanish). 11 October 2020.
- ^ "Tras separarse, Zuvic denunció por "violencia económica" a Costa". La Nación (in Spanish). 11 July 2019.
- ^ "Mariana Zuvic se separó del senador Eduardo Costa". Clarín (in Spanish). 10 July 2019.
- ^ "Ley de Lemas, autonomía provincial y control judicial" (PDF). Ministerio de Justicia de la Nación (in Spanish).
- ^ "Histórico en Santa Cruz: se derogó la ley de lemas". La Nación (in Spanish). 13 June 2024.
External links
- Hipertehuelche (company site)