Carlos Alberto Sonnenschein

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Sonnenschein and the second or maternal family name is Antelo.

• Guido Destre (2002–2006)
• Franklin Valdivia (2006–2010)

Carlos Alberto Sonnenschein
Official portrait, 2012
Senator for Beni
In office 19 January 2010 –18 January 2015
Preceded by	Sandro Giordano
Succeeded by	Einar Gozalves
Constituency	Riberalta
Personal details
Born	Carlos Alberto Sonnenschein Antelo (1961-01-28) 28 January 1961 (age 63) Riberalta, Beni, Bolivia
Political party	Revolutionary Nationalist Movement
Occupation	Businessman politician rancher

Carlos Alberto Sonnenschein Antelo (born 28 January 1961) is a Bolivian businessman, politician, and rancher who served as senator for Beni from 2010 to 2015. A member of the Revolutionary Nationalist Movement, he previously served as a member of the Chamber of Deputies from Beni, representing circumscription 64 from 2002 to 2010.

Born into a wealthy upper-class family from Riberalta, Sonnenschein's early career was characteristic of many of Beni's economic elite. He held executive positions in the most relevant corporate entities handling the department's export and cattle industries and played prominent roles in the civic sector, including chairing Riberalta's civic committee as well as its major utility cooperatives and sports associations.

Having served in leadership within the Revolutionary Nationalist Movement's Riberalta affiliate, Sonnenschein won a seat representing the municipality in the Chamber of Deputies in 2002. Reelected to a second term in 2005, he survived the party's dramatic fall from grace, a decline that, by 2009, led him to join National Convergence for his final electoral bid for Senate. Despite serving a collective twelve years between his three parliamentary terms, Sonnenschein was conspicuously absent most of the time, preferring to remain in his home region than deal with the goings on at the capital.

Early life and career

Carlos Alberto Sonnenschein was born on 28 January 1961 in Riberalta to a regionally influential family of wealthy Amazonian landowners. ^[1] Descended from European emigrants that first settled northern Beni during the early 20th-century rubber boom, ^[2] Sonnenschein's family comprises part of the Riberalta's economic elite; ^[3] in the absence of the state apparatus, white- mestizo clans like Sonnenschein's exercised immense, semi-autonomous societal influence, projecting their power through the accumulation of capital and control over major local industries –primarily the cattle ranching business. ^{[4] [lower-greek 1]}

Owing to his affluent upbringing, Sonnenschein quickly rose to high-level positions within northern Beni's leading private and public entities. A graduate of Riberalta's prestigious Pedro Kramer School, he chaired the Northeast Chamber of Exporters from 1996 to 1998 and was vice president of its parent organization, the National Chamber of Exporters, from 1997 to 1999. In the civic sector, he directed the local electricity and telecommunications cooperatives, headed Riberalta's football and basketball associations, and was president of the Riberalta Civic Committee. ^[1]

Chamber of Deputies

Election

Further information: 2002 Bolivian general election and 2005 Bolivian general election

Among Beni's elites, participation in politics came as a natural evolution of their regional economic influence. ^[7] After the democratic transition, many wealthy families aligned themselves with either Nationalist Democratic Action or the Revolutionary Nationalist Movement (MNR) –the parties most receptive to their demands and needs ^[8]  –in effect creating a two-party system in which each front asserted its influence by proxy of competing clans; political conflicts translated to intrafamily ones, ^[9] party membership drew more from familial tradition than ideological conviction, ^[10] and the department's electoral bipolarity, in turn, prevented the emergence of significant counterweights to either side's socioeconomic hegemony. ^[9]

By the turn of the century, Riberalta had established itself as an electoral bastion of the MNR, ^[1] with the region's elites having monopolized northern Beni's most important executive and legislative positions. ^[8] As chair of the local civic community, Sonnenschein enjoyed important political and lobbying connections ^[11] and by 2001, he had been named deputy leader of the MNR's Riberalta affiliate. ^[1] When in 2002 Sonnenschein's brother-in-law, Sandro Soriano, vacated his seat in the Chamber of Deputies to run for Senate, Sonnenschein was given the opportunity to contest the 64th district, in which he easily prevailed. ^[3]

Reelected in 2005, Sonnenschein's political career survived the dramatic decline of the MNR –hit hard by the stigma of its role in the 2003 gas conflict, the party saw its worst electoral showing in its organizational history. In part, Sonnenschein's success owed to the continued degree of support afforded to the MNR in one of its traditional regions of support: the Amazon, in particularly Beni, where it won its only senator and two single-member constituency victories –including Sonnenschein. Even then, Sonnenschein's personal popularity cannot be discounted as a factor, especially since, on the presidential ballot, Michiaki Nagatani took second place in the same district. ^[12]

Tenure

As with many parliamentarians who hail from the northeastern departments, Sonnenschein's legislative tenure showed more interest in fortifying his local presence, popularity, and influence back home than in dealing with the various congressional conflicts and crises taking place in La Paz at any given time. Though the resulting regional recognition certainly benefitted him electorally, ^[1] it came at the cost of actual political participation. By 2009, Sonnenschein had come to be noted for the high quantity of absences –often unexcused –he had accumulated throughout his two terms and seven years in office. ^[13] Year on year, he consistently topped the list of the most absentee legislators, accruing Bs  40,950 in sanctions between January and August 2007 alone. ^[14] In all, according to Movement for Socialism deputy Martín Mollo, Sonnenschein missed ninety-eight percent of all sessions held during the 2006–2010 congressional term, leaving his legislative record largely a mystery and making him a true unknown among journalists and staffers in parliament. ^[15]

Commission assignments

• Finance Commission (Vice President: 2008–2010) ^[16]
• Economic Development Commission (Vice President: 2007–2008) ^[17]
• Human Development Commission
  • Housing Committee (2003–2004) ^[18]
• Labor and Employment Law Commission (Vice President: 2006–2007) ^[19]
• Defense and Armed Forces Commission (2004–2006) ^[20]
• Sustainable Development Commission (Vice President: 2002–2003) ^[21]

Chamber of Senators

Election

Further information: 2009 Bolivian general election

Weakened and in continuous political decline, the MNR entered the 2009 elections on its last legs; its presidential candidate, Germán Antelo, stayed in the race for just over a month, only to abruptly step down to support National Convergence (PPB-CN), the multi-front mega-coalition backing Manfred Reyes Villa. As a result, for the first time in decades, the MNR did not participate in a national election. ^[22] Amid the conspicuous absence of key party figures and political families from the electoral arena, ^[23] Sonnenschein was among the few MNR legislators to successfully secure a candidacy on one of the still-competing parliamentary lists  –nominated by CN to contest a seat in the Senate, ^[24] a position he won. ^[15]

Tenure

In contrast to the rest of CN's parliamentary caucus  –eternally engulfed in constant infighting over the scant positions of power afforded to the minority bloc –Sonnenschein preferred to play a more laid-back role throughout his senatorial tenure, as he had done in the two previous legislatures. In a scenario where his nine opposition colleagues frequently clashed with one another over which commission they ought to chair, Sonnenschein opted to spend the few sessions he actually attended working from one of the upper chamber's many committees –positions "nobody fights for." When, by process of elimination, he was finally due to assume a seat on the Senate's powerful directorate in 2014, Sonnenschein ceded his right to colleague Jeanine Áñez. ^[25] When mentioning Sonnenschein in its recounting of CN's fraught parliamentary history, outlet La Razón put plainly: "Sonnenschein, who?". ^[26]

Commission assignments

• Planning, Economic Policy, and Finance Commission
  • Financial, Monetary, Tax, and Insurance Policy Committee (Secretary: 2010–2014) ^[27]
• Plural Economy, Production, Industry, and Industrialization Commission
  • Plural Economy, Productive Development, Public Works, and Infrastructure Committee (Secretary: 2014–2015) ^[28]

Electoral history

Electoral history of Carlos Alberto Sonnenschein

Year	Office	Party		Alliance		Votes			Result	Ref.
						Total	%	P.
2002	Deputy		Revolutionary Nationalist Movement		MNR-MBL	8,770	45.71%	1st	Won	[29]
2005			Revolutionary Nationalist Movement	Does not appear		6,857	43.66%	1st	Won	[30]
2009	Senator		Revolutionary Nationalist Movement		National Convergence	85,631	53.15%	1st	Won	[31] [lower-greek 2]
Source: Plurinational Electoral Organ | Electoral Atlas

References

Notes

1. Aside from Carlos Alberto, the Sonnenschein family's presence in northern Beni's business sector includes his brother, Herbert, president of the Riberalta Ranchers' Association; nephew, Carlos, vice president of the Beni Ranchers' Federation; ^[5] and relative, Elizabeth, general manager of the Northeast Chamber of Exporters, among others. ^[6]
2. Presented on an electoral list. The data shown represents the share of the vote the entire party/alliance received in that constituency.

Footnotes

1. Romero Ballivián 2018, p. 570.
2. Rea Galloso 2005, pp. 31–33.
3. Romero Ballivián 2018, pp. 255, 570.
4. Rea Galloso 2005, pp. 33–34.
5. La Palabra del Beni 2017, p. 6; FEGABENI 2021.
6. El Diario 2021.
7. Rea Galloso 2005, p. 76.
8. Romero Ballivián 2018, p. 255.
9. Romero Ballivián 2018, p. 268.
10. Rea Galloso 2005, p. 83.
11. Rea Galloso 2005, pp. 72, 74–75.
12. Romero Ballivián 2007, pp. 28–31; Romero Ballivián 2018, p. 570.
13. Los Tiempos 2009.
14. Los Tiempos 2008a; Los Tiempos 2008b.
15. El Día 2009.
16. El Diario 2008.
17. Noticias Fides 2007.
18. Noticias Fides 2003.
19. El Diario 2006.
20. El Diario 2004; Cámara de Diputados 2006, p. 204.
21. El Diario 2002.
22. El Diario 2009.
23. El Deber 2009.
24. La Razón 2009.
25. La Razón 2014.
26. La Razón 2014, "'¿Sonnenschein, quién?', se preguntará alguien. Pues sí, Sonnenschein es un senador de CN ... que asistió a pocas sesiones legislativas".
27. El Diario 2010; Los Tiempos 2011; Prensa Senado 2012; Prensa Senado 2013.
28. Prensa Senado 2014.
29. Atlas Electoral 2002.
30. Atlas Electoral 2005.
31. Atlas Electoral 2009.

Works cited

Online and list sources

• Cámara de Diputados (2006). Anuario Legislativo: Legislatura 2005–2006 (in Spanish). La Paz: Honorable Congreso Nacional.
• "La Cámara de Senadores conformó sus 10 Comisiones y 20 Comités: Gestión Legislativa 2010–2011". El Diario (in Spanish). La Paz. 3 February 2010. Archived from the original on 16 March 2023. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
• "La Cámara de Senadores conformó sus 10 Comisiones y 20 Comités: Gestión Legislativa 2011–2012". Los Tiempos (in Spanish). Cochabamba. 2 February 2011. Archived from the original on 17 February 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
• "La Cámara de Senadores conformó sus 10 Comisiones y 20 Comités: Gestión Legislativa 2012–2013". senado.bo (in Spanish). La Paz: Cámara de Senadores del Estado Plurinacional. 27 January 2012. Archived from the original on 14 May 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
• "La Cámara de Senadores conformó sus 10 Comisiones y 20 Comités: Gestión Legislativa 2013–2014". senado.bo (in Spanish). La Paz: Cámara de Senadores del Estado Plurinacional. 24 January 2013. Archived from the original on 20 November 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
• "La Cámara de Senadores conformó sus 10 Comisiones y 20 Comités: Gestión Legislativa 2014–2015". senado.bo (in Spanish). La Paz: Cámara de Senadores del Estado Plurinacional. 27 January 2014. Archived from the original on 29 June 2014. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
• "Comisiones y Comités: Periodo Legislativo 2002–2003". El Diario (in Spanish). La Paz. 29 August 2002. Archived from the original on 3 April 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
• "Comisiones y Comités: Periodo Legislativo 2003–2004" (in Spanish). La Paz. Agencia de Noticias Fides. 4 September 2003. Archived from the original on 31 March 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
• "Comisiones y Comités: Periodo Legislativo 2004–2005". El Diario (in Spanish). La Paz. 13 August 2004. Archived from the original on 31 March 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
• "Comisiones y Comités: Periodo Legislativo 2006–2007". El Diario (in Spanish). La Paz. 1 February 2006. Archived from the original on 30 April 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
• "Comisiones y Comités: Periodo Legislativo 2007–2008" (in Spanish). La Paz. Agencia de Noticias Fides. 7 February 2007. Archived from the original on 31 March 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
• "Comisiones y Comités: Periodo Legislativo 2008–2009". El Diario (in Spanish). La Paz. 13 February 2008. Archived from the original on 31 March 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
• "Elecciones Generales 2002 | Atlas Electoral". atlaselectoral.oep.org.bo (in Spanish). La Paz: Órgano Electoral Plurinacional. Archived from the original on 11 April 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
• "Elecciones Generales 2005 | Atlas Electoral". atlaselectoral.oep.org.bo (in Spanish). La Paz: Órgano Electoral Plurinacional. Archived from the original on 11 April 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
• "Elecciones Generales 2009 | Atlas Electoral". atlaselectoral.oep.org.bo (in Spanish). La Paz: Órgano Electoral Plurinacional. Archived from the original on 11 April 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
• "Q.E.P.D. Nacira Antelo Oliva, vda. de Sonnenschein" (in Spanish). Trinidad: Federación de Ganaderos del Beni. 12 March 2021. Archived from the original on 14 April 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023– via Facebook.

Digital and print publications

• "Cámara de Diputados descuenta más de Bs 100 mil a 'faltones'" [Chamber of Deputies Fines "Absentees" More than Bs 100,000]. Los Tiempos (in Spanish). Cochabamba. Agencia Boliviana de Información. 19 July 2009. Archived from the original on 11 April 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
• "Convergencia Nacional: Las divergencias datan de enero de 2010" [National Convergence: The Disputes Date Back to January 2010]. La Razón (in Spanish). La Paz. 2 February 2014. Archived from the original on 9 February 2014. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
• "Descontarán Bs 350 mes a diputados faltones" [Congress to Fine Missing Deputies Bs 350 a Month]. Los Tiempos (in Spanish). Cochabamba. Agencia de Noticias Fides. 9 September 2008. Archived from the original on 11 April 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
• "Descuentos se van al psiquiátrico" [Fines Will Be Allocated to the Psychiatric Institute]. Los Tiempos (in Spanish). Cochabamba. Agencia Boliviana de Información. 13 February 2008. Archived from the original on 11 April 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
• "Diputado más faltón volverá como senador del Beni" [Most Absent Deputy to Return As Senator for Beni]. El Día (in Spanish). Santa Cruz de la Sierra. 18 December 2009. Archived from the original on 14 April 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
• "MNR atraviesa una de sus peores crisis" [The MNR Traverses One of Its Worst Crises]. El Diario (in Spanish). La Paz. 9 September 2009. Archived from the original on 14 April 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
• "Nacif decidio a defender liderazgo de la ganadería" [Nacif Decided to Defend Leadership of the Ranchers' Federation]. La Palabra del Beni (in Spanish). Trinidad. 28 October 2017. p. 6. Retrieved 18 August 2023– via the Internet Archive.
• "Productores de castaña en busca de la certificación internacional" [Brazil Nut Producers Seek International Certification]. El Diario (in Spanish). La Paz. 6 December 2021. Archived from the original on 6 December 2021. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
• "La pugna entre Morales y la Media Luna vuelve a las urnas" [The Struggle Between Morales and the Media Luna Returns to the Polls]. La Razón (in Spanish). La Paz. 9 September 2009. Archived from the original on 12 September 2009. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
• Rojas Carrasco, Aideé (9 September 2009). "El Congreso se renueva después de dos décadas" [Congress Is Renewed After Two Decades]. El Deber (in Spanish). Santa Cruz de la Sierra. Archived from the original on 14 September 2009. Retrieved 18 August 2023.

Academic journals

• Romero Ballivián, Salvador (January 2007). "La elección presidencial del 18 de diciembre de 2005 en Bolivia" [The Presidential Election of 18 December 2005 in Bolivia]. Cuadernos del CENDES (in Spanish). 24 (65). Caracas: 1–37. ISSN   2443-468X. OCLC   5728518496 – via ResearchGate.

Books and encyclopedias

• Rea Galloso, Hilda (2005). Elite carayana: Dominación estructural y modernización política en San Borja (in Spanish). La Paz: Fundación PIEB; CIDDEBENI; IDIS-UMSA. ISBN   99905-827-7-7. OCLC   68906624 – via the Internet Archive.
• Romero Ballivián, Salvador (2018). Quiroga Velasco, Camilo (ed.). Diccionario biográfico de parlamentarios 1979–2019 (in Spanish) (2nd ed.). La Paz: FUNDAPPAC; Fundación Konrad Adenauer. p. 570. ISBN   978-99974-0-021-5. OCLC   1050945993 – via the Internet Archive.

External links

• Parliamentary profile Office of the Vice President (in Spanish).
• Parliamentary profile Chamber of Senators (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 8 July 2014.