Document #1016141
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Author)
Jose Octavio Bordon was elected as a
Peronist deputy, in Mendoza province in 1983, and then as governor
of the province from 1987 to 1991 (Latin American Regional Reports
1 June 1995). In 1989 he was selected by President Carlos Menem to
be the Minister of Public Works but resigned shortly after his
appointment (Latin American Weekly Report 11 Mar. 1993). In 1992 he
won a senatorial seat (ibid.).
In 1994, Bordon defected from the ruling
Partido Justicialista (PJ) (Latin American Weekly Report 6 Oct.
1994; ibid. 22 Feb. 1996) and formed his own party called the
Politica Albierta par la Integridad (PAIS) (ibid. 6 Oct. 1994).
Bordon and Carlos Alverez, leader of the Frente Grande (FG), formed
a coalition called Frepaso in November 1994 (ibid. 24 Nov. 1994;
Noticias Argentinas 9 Feb. 1996). In February 1995, Bordon won the
leadership of Frepaso over Alverez (Latin America Regional Reports
1 June 1995).
Bordon was Frepaso's candidate in the 1995
presidential elections (Latin America Regional Reports 1 June 1995;
Latin American Weekly Report 13 Apr. 1995, 158). He placed second
to Menem in the election garnering 30 per cent of the vote (Latin
America Regional Reports 6 July 1995; Political Risk Letter 1 June
1995).
In a dispute over Frepaso's choice of
candidate for the mayoral elections in Buenos Aires, Bordon
resigned from the coalition in February 1996 (Latin American Weekly
Report 22 Feb. 1996; Lagniappe Letter 1 Mar. 1996; Economist
Intelligence Unit 2 Apr. 1996). He also resigned his leadership of
PAIS (Defence and Foreign Affairs Feb. 1996; Lagniappe Letter 1
Mar. 1996) and his senatorial seat (ibid.; Economist Intelligence
Unit 11 Apr. 1996).
In May 1996, Bordon was charged with fraud
(Latin America Weekly Report 2 May 1996). This could not be
corroborated in the sources consulted by the DIRB.
This Response was prepared after
researching publicly accessible information currently available to
the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does
not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular
claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Defense & Foreign Affairs' Strategic
Policy. February 1996. "Argentina." (NEXIS)
Economist Intelligence Unit. 2 April
1996. "Argentina: Country Forecast Summary." (NEXIS)
Lagniappe Letter. 1 March 1996. "BA
Municipal Election Splits Main Parties." (NEXIS)
Latin America Regional Reports: Southern
Cone Report [London]. 6 July 1995. "Menem Backers Suggest Third
Term; Only a Small Amendment Would be Needed, They Say."
(NEXIS)
_____. 1 June 1995. "Jose Bordon: Voice
of a New Opposition; Man from Mendoza has Come a Long Way in a
Short Time." (NEXIS)
Latin American Weekly Report [London].
22 February 1996. "Frepaso Self-destructs as Bordon Leaves to Rally
Anti-Menem Peronists."
_____. 13 April 1995. "Argentina:
Politics: Challenger Bordon Rises from Behind."
_____. 24 November 1994. "Argentina/
Split in Frente Grande."
_____. 6 October 1994. "Argentina:
Politics: PJ Loses Majority in the Lower Chamber."
_____. 11 March 1993. "Argentina:
Politics: Menem Re-election Bid Hits the Streets."
Noticias Argentinas [Buenos Aires, in
Spanish]. 9 February 1996. "'Chronology' of Argentina's Frepaso
Alliance Discussed." (FBIS-LAT-96-031 14 Feb. 1996, pp. 26-27)
Political Risk Letter. 1 June 1995.
"Argentina Mandate Increases Optimism." (NEXIS)