In a 3 April 2001 interview, a representative of the Honorable Deliberative Council of Las Heras (Honorable Concejo Deliberante de Las Heras) stated that Ricardo Pettignano was a council member between 1983 and 1991, and served as president of the council in 1990. This information was corroborated by the council secretary in a 6 April 2001 interview, who added that Pettignano served on the council as a member of the Justicialist Party (Partido Justicialista, PJ).

No information on the length of Pettignano's term of office in the Mendoza legislature could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. However, according to the Website of the Mendoza Honorable Chamber of Deputies (Honorable Cámara de Diputados), Ricardo Pettignano, as a member of the Justicialist Bloc (Bloque Justicalista) of deputies, was the proponent of more than 100 projects between December 1991 and April 1999 (n.d.).

Pettignano's name does not appear on lists of individuals who are currently serving as members of the Mendoza Chamber of Deputies or of the Honorable Chamber of Senators (Honorable Cámara de Senadores) (Gobernación de Mendoza 2000). No additional information on Pettignano could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate 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. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Gobernación de Mendoza. 2000. "Nómina de autoridades provinciales." http://www.mendoza.gov.ar/paginas/nominaautoridades.html [Accessed 11 Apr. 2001]

Honorable Cámara de Diputados, Mendoza. n.d.. "Base de datos: consulta de proyectos." http://www.hcdmza.gov.ar/base/proy/proy.html [Accessed 11 Apr. 2001]

Honorable Concejo Deliberante de Las Heras. 6 April 2001. Telephone interview with secretary.

_____. 3 April 2001. Telephone interview with representative.

Additional Sources Consulted

Honorable Cámara de Diputados, Mendoza.

Honorable Cámara de Senadores, Mendoza.

IRB databases.

Internet sites including:

Canal 9 Televida [Mendoza]. Sintesis de noticias. Aug. 2000-Apr. 2001.

Clarín [Buenos Aires]. 1999-2001.

Cuyo Noticias [Mendoza]. Aug. 2000-Apr. 2001.

Diario Los Andes [Mendoza]. Feb.-May; Sept. 2000-Apr. 2001.

Gobernación de Mendoza.

Honorable Diputados de Senadores de la Provincia de Mendoza.

Honorable Cámara de Senadores de la Provincia de Mendoza.

La Nación [Buenos Aires]. 1999-2001.