Román Rodríguez Rodríguez

Román Rodríguez was born on March 1, 1956, in San Nicolás de Tolentino, a locality now known as La Aldea de San Nicolás, on the island of Gran Canaria. He pursued his university studies at the University of La Laguna, where he obtained a degree in Medicine and Surgery. After completing his academic training, he worked for ten years as a practicing physician, carrying out clinical duties within the Canary Islands' healthcare system. His professional experience in the health sector developed before he assumed managerial responsibilities in public health administration.

In the political and organizational sphere, Rodríguez was a founder of Unión Nacionalista de Izquierdas, and in 1991 he joined ICAN, a regional political group. In 1993, he was appointed Director General of Healthcare Assistance, a position in which he managed the organization and delivery of medical services throughout the Canary Islands. Two years later, in 1995, he became Director of the Canary Islands Health Service, the body responsible for the administration and coordination of public healthcare in the region, overseeing the management of health resources and the planning of care services across the islands.

On July 14 and 15, 1999, Román Rodríguez was elected President of the Government of the Canary Islands by the regional Parliament and was officially appointed on July 16 of that year. The Government of the Canary Islands, established after the Statute of Autonomy came into force on August 16, 1982, serves as the executive body of the autonomous community, responsible for directing and coordinating the regional administration and representing the Canary Islands institutionally. The president is elected by the Parliament and appointed by the King, with the responsibility to designate the vice president and the ministers, as well as to direct and coordinate the government's actions. Rodríguez held the presidency until 2003, performing the functions of the office within the institutional framework defined by the Statute of Autonomy and current legislation.

After his regional presidency, he represented Las Palmas in Spain’s Congress from 2004 to 2008 and chaired its Public Administrations Committee. He became president of Nueva Canarias in 2005, as recorded in his biography for the tenth regional parliamentary term. In the Gran Canaria island council he held responsibilities for economic development, public works, infrastructure and transport between 2007 and 2011. He returned to regional parliamentary representation in the terms beginning in 2011 and 2015; in 2015–2019 he served as his parliamentary group’s spokesperson.

In 2019 he returned to the regional executive as vice president of the Canary Islands government and minister for finance, budgets and European affairs. His appointment as vice president was formalised on 17 July 2019. This stage brought him back to regional government after responsibilities in Congress, the island council and the regional parliament.