Page 62 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Argentina

60  INTRODUCING ARGENTINA

Under Perón’s Shadow Argentina in crisis, the military
Post-1955, Argentina became over threw the government in
polarized. The military exiled 1976 and via the infamous
Perón and banned Peronism from Proceso de Reorganización
the political process. Trade unions, Nacional, it unleashed upon
however, remained loyal to the Argentina a reign of brutality
deposed president and worked unprece dented in its history.
towards making Argentina Left-wing guerrilla forces were
ungover nable in his absence. eliminated in the infamous
General strikes paralyzed the Isabel Perón, Argentina’s Guerra Sucia (Dirty War), which
country. In 1971, with Argentina former Vice President exploded into a campaign of
on the brink of anarchy, the military terror against the civilian population.
sanctioned the return of Perón. Thousands of sus pec ted enemies of the
state “disappeared”: they were arrested,
A Society at War taken to clandestine con cen tration camps,
Perón’s third presidential term began in tor tured, and killed. Thousands more were
1973 amid spiraling guerrilla activity and a forced into exile. Practically all dissent was
Peronist Party split between left- and right- silenced. In 1981, the capital saw its first
wing factions. When he died a year later, a mass demonstra tions since the coup. The
hard-right authoritarian regime led by his regime’s mar ket eco nomy had unraveled
Vice President and third wife, Isabel Perón, under high inflation and unemploy ment,
succeeded him. The state-sponsored and general strikes again paralyzed the
paramilitary force Triple A targeted left- country. As the dictatorship’s autho rity
wing subversives and, at the same time, the crumbled, it made a despe rate attempt to
military engaged in open war fare with cling to power by appealing to national
guerrillas. The economy went into freefall honor. In 1982 it launched an invasion of
and inflation sur passed 1,000 percent. With the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), subject
of a territorial dis pute between the United
Kingdom and Argentina since 1833. Britain
counterinvaded and within 74 days its
forces had overwhelmed their Argentinian
counterparts. Its political standing
shattered, the military returned Argentina
to civilian rule.

Democracy and Default
Following national elections the Radical
Party was entrusted with the task of
Protest rally by women whose children disappeared during the
armed forces’ Dirty War in the 1970s bringing reconciliation to a devastated
Pedro E. Aramburu
1974 Perón dies. 1976 Military Proceso de
Succeeded by Isabel Perón Reorganización Nacional begins
1958 Argentina
returns to civilian 1973 Perón elected for 1984 Investigation into crimes
rule a third pre si dential committed during Dirty War leads
term to trial of junta leaders
1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985
1966 Military declares 1970 Left-wing 1977 Mothers of the 1987 Due Obedience Law
an end to all guerrilla group “disappeared” start 1982 Invasion of blocks prosecution of
constitutional rule kidnap and kill silent protest Falkland Islands lower-ranking
former president (Islas Malvinas) officers accused of Carlos
Pedro E. Aramburu defeated Dirty War crimes Menem

060-061_EW_Argentina.indd 60 05/08/16 10:04 am