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Julio Alak
Julio Cesar Alak is an Argentine politician, the former mayor of provincial capital La Plata, and currently the President's Attorney General.
Political career
Alak was born in Benito Juarez, a pampas town in Buenos Aires Province. In his youth, he worked as a journalist while studying law in the University of La Plata; in his professional career, he alternated between public service and private practice, and was engaged also in university teaching and politics (as a member of the Justicialist Party) since 1984; Alak is married and has three children.
In 1988, Alak became the President of the La Plata branch of the party, and was designated as mayoral candidate in 1991. He won the election, and held the post until the 2007 election.
Tenure as mayor and stadium controversy
In the 1990s, Alak pushed through the construction of a new stadium for La Plata, over the objections of the two major football clubs, which chose to remain in their home fields.
Concurrently, Alak sponsored a minor club, La Plata FC, which some claimed was part of an Alak patronage scheme. Significant sums were allegedly spent from the city budget for activities related to that club, which has virtually no following. For some time, it was thought that it would be the only side to play in the new stadium, which was used mainly for concerts.
When a security regulation forbidding wooden stands came into effect in 2005, Estudiantes de La Plata relocated their home games to the Bosque (the field of rival side Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata), and later to the Quilmes stadium. The municipality has refused to allow Estudiantes an upgrade of their field, and ignored a court order that allowed its operation until a better solution was found. This behavior triggered animosity in the Estudiantes fan base.
In 2006, Gimnasia's stadium was banned as well, and their management transferred their games to the new stadium, over fans' objections. In April 2006, Alak intervened against a judicial order that would have allowed the re-opening of both fields. Ole. In August 2006, an agreement has been reached to allow remodeling Estudiantes' field, using newer technologies, to allow for a 20,000 sitting room capacity.
Critics argue that while millions went into the construction of the stadium, which the city did not need, thousands of poor people live in its shadows without receiving proper municipal services.
When Estudiantes obtained the 2006 Apertura title, Alak invited the team to an official ceremony but the players declined to attend, claiming that the pressure from the crowd would not allow them to reach his office. Actually, the players were at the La Plata Cathedral, 200 m (650 ft) from City Hall, and so the refusal to attend was perceived as a rebuke of Alak. La Nacion
Prior to the 2007 provincial election, Alak signed Estudiantes legend Juan Ramon Veron to a post as children sports services coordinator. Estudiantes fans puzzled over the designation, which is perceived as cementing Alak's alignment with candidate Daniel Scioli and an attempt to heal the rift between Estudiantes and Alak's administration. El Dia El Dia
La Plata FC was dissolved only three months after Alak left office.
Recent history
Initial results of the October 28, 2007, election indicated that Alak finished behind opposition candidate Pablo Bruera who took 25% to Alak's 20%. El Dia Sensing defeat, Alak's campaign operators attempted to suggest a link between Bruera and the killing of three policemen in La Plata, which took place nine days before the election; all investigations were inconclusive as of voting day, however (three suspects were detained and subsequently released).
Alak was named to the Board of Directors of Aerolineas Argentinas, on February 14, 2008, as the Argentine Government's representative on the air carrier's board. El Dia
Following the ruling Front for Victory's defeat in the June 28, 2009, mid-term elections, Alak was tapped to replace Attorney General Anibal Fernandez, who had been appointed the President's Cabinet Chief, effective July 7. Clarin
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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Julio Alak
