El ocho de febrero/February 8th

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¡Feliz cumpleaños a ... Mauricio Macri! (1959-      )

From The New Yorker, 2015. Click HERE. 
President of Argentina (2015-     ), Macri's election ended "Kirchnerismo" in Argentina (President Nestor Kirchner (2003-2007) and President Cristina Kirchner (2007-2015), both Peronists and Social Democrats). An engineering by training, Macri became well-known as the president of the popular fútbol club Boca Juniors (starting in 1995). He then became mayor of Buenos Aires before running for president in the highly contentious 2014 election. Macri's political slogan, Cambiemos (Let's Change) and chant, ¡Sí Se Puede! (Yes we can!), energized a wide array of groups in Argentina despite his party's typically conservative stance on issues. Macri is from a wealthy family (his father was Italian-born business tycoon Francisco (Francesco) Macri, and he has studied at both Columbia University in New York and Wharton in Philadelphia. In 1991, he was kidnapped and held captive for 12 days by a gang of corrupt policemen demanding millions in ransom. He says that this incident is what spurred him to go into politics. As President, Macri has focused on economic reform. He has justified new, strict controls on immigration by saying, "We need to focus on Argentina."

Though certainly not a major part of his life, students love the story of Macri accidently swallowing a fake mustache he was wearing at his wedding to businesswoman Juliana Awada (an Argentine of Lebanese and Syrian descent) in 2010. He was wearing the mustache in order to impersonate singer Freddy Mercury, and when he swallowed it his life had to be saved by Argentine Health Minister (and wedding guest) Jorge Lemus. Hear Macri tell the story HERE or read about it HERE.

For a great article about Macri, read this 2015 profile in the New Yorker, or this one from the BBC.

For resources for teaching Spanish, Level 1 through AP, CLICK HERE.

Other February 8th birthdays:

Javi García (1987-       ): A professional soccer player from Spain who is a product of Real Madrid's youth system. He currently plays for Real Betis.

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