Abel Damina

About Abel Damina

# The Peruvian Who Never Made It to Nigeria's Headlines

Most Nigerians have never heard of Abel Salinas Izaguirre. Yet his name appears in the footnotes of Latin American political history, a man who held some of the highest offices in Peru but remained entirely unknown to the Nigerian public.

Abel Salinas Izaguirre was born on May 12, 1930, in Peru. He would spend his life climbing the corridors of political power in his homeland, far removed from the Nigerian spotlight that celebrates its own leaders and public figures.

In 1985, under Alan García's government, Izaguirre served as Interior Minister. The appointment marked a significant moment in his career. Two years later, in 1987, he moved to Energy Minister. His portfolio expanded further in 1988 when he became Minister of Economy and Finance—one of the most powerful positions in any nation's cabinet.

By 1990, Izaguirre had earned enough political capital to run for higher office. He was elected Senator of the Republic on the APRA Party ticket. It seemed his trajectory would only continue upward.

But ambition and reality often diverge. In 2000, Izaguirre made a bid for the Presidency of Peru. The campaign did not resonate with voters. He won approximately 1.3% of the vote and watched as other candidates claimed victory and national attention.

For over a decade after his failed presidential run, Izaguirre faded from public discourse. He remained alive, aging quietly away from the political arena that had once defined him. Few took note.

On August 1, 2012, Abel Salinas Izaguirre died. He was 82 years old. No major Nigerian newspaper carried his obituary. No Nigerian musician sampled his political speeches. His life—one of ministerial titles and senatorial votes—ended without fanfare in the country where he was born.

To Nigeria, he remained unknown. And he would stay that way.