Argentina & the Military Dictatorship Juan Domingos Perón • 1946-1955 • Establishes censorship (between 1943-46 closes 110 publications). • Unionization of workers. • Foreign policy of isolationism. • Exile in Spain. • 1973: Elections and return of the Spanish exile. El Golpe de 1976 • 1974: Death of Perón, Isabel Perón assumes the presidency. Political instability and economic crisis. • 1976: Military coup. • The Board of Lieutenant General Jorge Rafael Videla, Admiral Eduardo Emilio Massera and Brigadier General Orlando R. Agosti. Appointed Jorge Rafael Videla as de facto president. • "Process of National Reorganization": elimination of opposition political groups. • 1976-1981: Gen. Rafael Videla. • March to December of 1981: Roberto Viola. • 1982-1983: Leopoldo Galtieri. • 1983: Reynaldo Bignone. Military Government Measures Suspend political activity Suspend the rights of workers Intervene in the unions Prohibit strikes Dissolve the Congress Dissolve political parties Remove the Supreme Court of Justices Intervention of the General Confederation of Labor (CGE). Suspension of the academic freedom of professors (Estatuto del Docente). Closure of nightclubs. Requirement that men must cut their haircut for men. Burn thousands of books and magazines considered “dangerous” Censor of the media Seizure of left leaning organizations. La censura Comunicado N° 19, 24/03/76 Se comunica a la población que la Junta de Comandantes Generales ha resuelto que sea reprimido con la pena de reclusión por tiempo indeterminado el que por cualquier medio difundiere, divulgare o propagare comunicados o imágenes provenientes o atribuidas a asociaciones ilícitas o personas o grupos notoriamente dedicados a actividades subversivas o al terrorismo. Será reprimido con reclusión de hasta diez años, el que por cualquier medio difundiere, divulgare o propagare noticias, comunicados o imágenes, con el propósito de perturbar, perjudicar o desprestigiar las actividades de las Fuerzas Armadas, de Seguridad o Policiales. (Diario "La Prensa", 24 de marzo de 1976). Military Dictatorship • Dirty War • Operation Condor • Free market policy à deregulation of the economic sector. • Freezing of wages. • Corruption. • 1982: War of the Falklands. • 1983: Elections (Raúl Alfonsín). Los “subversivos” El término "subversión" englobaba a las organizaciones guerrilleras -prácticamente ya extinguidas en marzo de 1976- pero también a los activistas o simpatizantes de cualquier movimiento de protesta o crítica social: obreros, universitarios, comerciantes, profesionales, intelectuales, sacerdotes, empresarios y más... No hubo "errores" ni "excesos", sino un plan deliberado. (Historia Visual de la Argentina contemporánea, Clarín, El "Proceso" Militar). Los desaparecidos (clasificación según profesión) • Workers: 30% • Students: 21% • Employees: 17.8% • Professionals: 10.7% • Teachers: 5.7% • Conscripts and subordinate personnel of the security forces: 2.5% • Housewives: 3.8% • Autonomous and Carian: 5% • Journalists: 1.6% • Actors and artists: 1.3% • Religious: 0.3% (Informe de la Conadep Nunca Más, 1984) De-industrialization Small and medium enterprises were sacrificed at the altar of efficiency, initiating a process of accelerated de- industrialization, given the impossibility of competing with products from abroad. The application of neoliberal recipes did not resolve, but rather deepened the economic problems. (http://www.me.gov.ar/efeme/24 demarzo/dictadura.html#algu nas) Medidas económicas The dictatorship implemented a plan based on monetary liberalism, which was supported by foreign banks and international organizations. The official in charge of fulfilling the economic plan of the military was José Alfredo Martínez de Hoz. It put an end to the interventionist State, to the protection of the internal market and to subsidies to companies. Salaries were frozen. It let the market operate freely. The final results were disastrous. There was great external indebtedness, the industries went bankrupt and, at the end of the dictatorship, inflation was unleashed.. (http://www.me.gov.ar/efeme/24demarz o/dictadura.html#algunas) Neomi Klein “Shock Doctrine” Restauración de la democracia • 1983-89: Presidency of Raúl Alfonsín (Unión Cívica Radical) à consolidation of democratic institutions. • 1989-99: Presidency of Raúl Alfonsín Carlos Saúl Menem (Partido Peronista)à Implementation of neoliberal measures (privatization, deregulation, parity between peso- dollar).. • 1999-2001: Presidency of Raúl Alfonsín Fernando de la Rúa (coalition between Unión Cívica Radical & FREPASO [izquierda]). • 2001: Economic crisis (massive importation, fiscal deficits, the "corralito", flight of foreign capital) & Fernando de la Rúa steps down. Argentina in the New Millenium • 1990s: market economy; privatization, term of protectionist barriers and deregulation of the market increase social inequalities; the national industry weakens; the unemployment rate reaches 25% among the active population. • Economic crisis: 1999-2000. • December 2001: Protests against the government (the "cacerolazos"). • In two weeks, Argentina had three presidents.2001-2003: Interim Presidency of Eduardo Duhalde. Argentina Today • Néstor Kirchner's election in 2003 (expires against Menem) renegotiation of the external debt and nationalization of industries that had been privatized. • Implementation of a policy of import substitution and increase in exports, investments in national infrastructure and stabilization of wages à Economic stability. • 2007-2015: 2007 Election of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner..