Argentina

G

The Perón Era

Revival of political activity in Argentina was marked by the appearance of a new grouping, the Peronistas. Formally organized as the Labour Party, with Perón as its candidate for the presidency, this group found its main support among the most depressed sections of the agricultural and industrial working class. The Peronistas campaigned among these workers, popularly known as descamisados (Spanish, “shirtless ones”), with promises of land, higher wages, and social security. The elections, held on February 24, 1946, resulted in a decisive victory for Perón over his opponent, the candidate of a progressive coalition.

In October 1945, Perón married the former actress Eva Duarte, who, as first lady of Argentina, managed labour relations and social services for her husband’s government until her death in 1952 (see Péron, Eva). Adored by the masses, whom she manipulated with consummate skill, she was, as much as anyone, responsible for the popular following of the Perón regime. In October 1946, President Perón promulgated an ambitious five-year plan for the expansion of the economy. During 1947 he deported a number of German agents and expropriated about 60 German firms. After these moves, relations between Argentina and the United States improved steadily.

H

New Constitution

In March 1949, Perón promulgated a new constitution permitting the president of the republic to succeed himself in office. Taking advantage of the new law, the Peronista Party in July 1949 renominated Perón as its presidential candidate for 1952. As a result, the opposition parties and press became increasingly critical of the government. The Peronista majority in the congress retaliated in September of that year with legislation providing prison terms for people who showed “disrespect” for government leaders. Many opponents of the regime were jailed in subsequent months. The congress shortly instituted other retaliatory measures, notably suppression of the opposition press.

La Prensa, a leading independent daily newspaper, was suppressed in March 1951. In the following month, congress approved legislation expropriating the paper. Severe restrictions were imposed on the anti-Peronista parties in the campaign preceding the national elections, which took place in November 1951 instead of February 1952, the originally scheduled date. President Perón was re-elected by a large majority, and Peronista candidates won 135 of the 149 seats in the House of Deputies.

I

Second Term

In January 1953 the government inaugurated a second five-year plan. The plan emphasized increased agricultural output instead of all-out industrialization, which had been the goal of the first five-year plan. During 1953 Argentina concluded important economic and trade agreements with several countries, notably the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, and Chile. Foreign commercial transactions in 1953 produced a favourable balance of trade, the first since 1950; but inflationary pressures, which had resulted in an increase in the cost of living of more than 200 per cent since 1948, did not lessen.

In November 1954, Perón accused a group of Roman Catholic clergymen of “fostering agitation” against the government. Despite Church opposition, the government proposed and secured enactment during the next two months of legislation legalizing absolute divorce, granting all benefits of legitimacy to children borne out of wedlock, and legalizing prostitution. The schism between Church and State widened steadily in the succeeding months.

J

Overthrow

On June 16, 1955, dissident elements of the Argentine navy and its air arm launched a rebellion in Buenos Aires. The army remained loyal, however, and the uprising was quickly crushed. Tension increased during the next few weeks as factions within the government and the military manoeuvred for position. Finally, on September 16, insurgent groupings in all three branches of the armed forces staged a concerted rebellion; after three days of civil war, during which approximately 4,000 people were killed, Perón resigned and took refuge on a Paraguayan gunboat in Buenos Aires harbour. On September 20 the insurgent leader Major General Eduardo Lonardi took office as Provisional President, promising to restore democratic government. Perón went into exile, first in Paraguay and later in Spain.

K

Provisional Presidents

In less than two months the Lonardi government was itself overthrown in a bloodless coup d’état led by Major-General Pedro Eugenio Aramburu. The announced reason for the revolt was the unwillingness of Lonardi to suppress Peronism, especially in the army and among the workers. Aramburu abrogated the 1949 constitution and restored the liberal charter of 1853. Under the latter, a president may not succeed himself. A Peronist revolt was crushed in June 1956. Thousands were arrested, and 38 alleged Peronistas were executed. Scores of people were subsequently imprisoned on charges of plotting to overthrow the new regime.

Elections to a constitutional assembly were held in July. The moderate Radical Party, headed by Ricardo Balbín, received the most votes, closely followed by the somewhat left-wing Intransigent Radical Party under Arturo Frondizi. The Peronistas, forbidden to function as a party, were instructed by their exiled leader to cast blank ballots. Blanks, which were encouraged also by some minor groups, exceeded the votes of any single party and constituted about one-quarter of the total cast.