José Serrano (Ecuadorian politician)

José Serrano Salgado (born 19 November 1970)^[1] is an Ecuadorian politician. He has been Minister of the Interior since 13 May 2011.^[2] He held several ministerial posts before his current position.

Personal life

José Serrano was born 19 November 1970 in Cuenca, Ecuador. In September 2012, 34-year-old Juan Antonio Serrano, José Serrano's brother, was killed by then unknown attackers during a family party in Cuenca. José Serrano denied that the murder took place as retaliation for his efforts to combat organised crime. Six suspects were detained shortly after the murder.^[3] Four suspects were later convicted, with the prime suspect being sentenced to 20 years for intended murder.^[4]

Education

Serrano has a post-graduate degree in Project Management from the Universidad San Francisco de Quito and a doctorate in Jurisprudence and lawyership in Justice Tribunals of the Republic of Ecuador by the Universidad del Azuay.^[1]

Political career

Serrano got his first ministerial post under President Alfredo Palacio when he was made Minister of Labour and Employment in June 2005. He kept this position until August 2006. In this period he managed to get a reform of the labour laws through parliament. He managed to do so after triparty negotiations between employees, employers and the parliament. In December 2006 he served a stint as Minister of Finance. Under the new President Correa, Serrano was made Subsecretary of Mines in the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum. He served in this capacity between September 2007 and August 2009. He then served between November 2009 and April 2010 as Secretary of Transparent Management. During his tenure he implemented the Plan Andino, a counter-corruption initiative. He succeeded in working together with Colombia to get this plan through the Andean Community of Nations.^[5] Following this, he was made Minister of Justice, Human Rights and Religious Affairs, serving between April 2010 and May 2011. While serving in this capacity there was some controversy around his decision to try to make the indigenous justice system less powerful. After a case in which a suspect of murder was subjected to indigenous justice, President Correa called this treatment "a monstrosity" and "this is torture, this is barbarity". The Justice Ministry then started drafting legislation to make a list of cases in which indigenous justice could be applicable. Indigenous people said they would not like to have to their system restricted in these kind of cases because they see it as a way to resolve internal conflict.^[6] On 13 May 2011, Serrano was designated Minister of the Interior by President Correa. During his tenure there has been a crackdown on organised crime, which has shaken the nation's illegal drugs sector. ^[3]

As an activist and protector of human rights he was invited by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights to assume a junior lawyer position.^[1]

Decorations

He received the National Order of Merit in the degree of Grand Cross by the Government of Ecuador for his work in reforming the labour laws of Ecuador.^[1]

References