Ángel Maza

From 1985, Maza served as a minister in the provincial government of La Rioja under then governor Carlos Menem, continuing until 1992, when Menem, by now President of Argentina, appointed Maza as minister for mining, a position which he held until 1995. That year he was elected governor of his province, taking office on 9 December. He was re-elected in 1999 and 2003.

Maza served as minister and collaborator of former President and La Rioja governor Carlos Menem, whose family dominated local politics. However Maza switched to support the Front for Victory faction of fellow Peronist President Néstor Kirchner. In 2006, Maza won the primary elections to head the Justicialist Party of La Rioja, defeating the Menemist candidate. This was seen as a final defeat against Carlos Menem by Kirchner.[2]

In mid-2006 a political conflict between Maza and his vice governor Luis Beder Herrera erupted, as the legislature, dominated by supporters of Herrera, heavily modified the budget, restricted certain powers of the governor, and admitted impeachment accusations against Maza. Later, as Maza contradicted a previous agreement with Herrera regarding his willingness to step aside and forfeit re-election, the legislature amended the provincial constitution to forbid re-election.[3]

On 13 March 2007 the legislature suspended Maza while impeachment procedures were followed.[4] The impeachment commission resolved to oust Maza on 12 April, charging him with not fulfilling his duties and illegally bypassing the legislative branch in the case of an expropriation operation in 2004.[5] Beder Herrera assumed the governor's office pro tempore and announced upcoming elections.