Backgrounder: Argentina

Written by Alexandra MacAulay Abdelwahab

Page 1 of 2

Argentina's road to democracy has been a bumpy one, with military coups, inequality and corruption along the way.

The elections of 1916 pushed back the wealthy landowning elites, who had been in control since the 1800s. Then, in 1929, a slump in exports triggered the first military coup in almost 70 years, leading to a dozen years of military interference.

In 1943, the Grupo de Oficiales Unidos (Group of United Officers) took their turn at running the country. Juan Perón, their new secretary of labour and social welfare, quickly gained the support of the people by lobbying for wage increases and better working conditions. By 1945, he was Vice-President.

Elections were held in 1946, and Perón became the leader of a heavy-handed government that focused on social welfare and used force to get its way. He nationalised the banks and railways and put his popular wife, Evita, in charge of the agency that distributed benefits to the poor.

In 1955, after Perón launched a campaign against the Catholic Church, another military coup ended his term as president. Perón was exiled to Spain, but his supporters, known as Peronists, continued their protests.



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