List of heads of state of Argentina

Argentina

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Argentina has had many different types of heads of state, as well as many different types of government throughout its history. During Pre-Columbian times the territories that nowadays belong to Argentina were inhabited by nomadic tribes, without any defined government. During the spanish colonization of the Americas the king of Spain retained the ultimate authority over the territories conquered in America, but designating a viceroy for local government. The Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata ousted viceroy Cisneros during the May Revolution and replaced him with a Junta, the Primera Junta that would later turn into the Junta Grande. The Junta was followed by three triumvirates, and after it the Assembly of year XIII created a new government authority, the Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata. However, even if designating a unique ruler as head of state, it did not had the characteristics of a Presidential system. There was a short-lived attempt to create a presidential authority with the Constitution of 1826, with Bernardino Rivadavia being the first president. Rivadavia and Vicente López y Planes resigned shorty after, and the Constitution was rejected.

After it, the provinces turned into a confederation, without a national leader. The closest thing to it was the governor of Buenos Aires, who was given the task of managing international relations. The main governor of Buenos Aires during this tim period was Juan Manuel de Rosas. The modern Constitution of Argentina was promulgated in 1853, with Justo José de Urquiza being the first president elected with it. However, Buenos Aires rejected that constitution and declared its independence as the State of Buenos Aires. Bartolomé Mitre was the first president of the unified Argentina.

The succession line of presidents was interrupted during the Infamous Decade in 1930, and for some time civil governments were frequently interrupted by Coup d'états. Civil governments regained an uninterrumped succession in 1983, with the election of Raúl Alfonsín. Nowadays, the recognition as presidents of the heads of state that took the power by Coup d'états is controversial.^[1][2][3] Currently, the head of state of Argentina is president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who took office on 10 December 2007. Current term duration is of 4 years, and Cristina's term will last until 10 December 2011.

Contents 1 After Independence 1.1 Juntas 1.2 Triumvirates 1.3 Supreme directors 2 The first Presidential Government 3 The Argentine Confederation 4 The Argentine Republic 5 Affiliations 6 See also 7 References 8 External links

After Independence

After the May Revolution the viceroy was replaced in Buenos Aires by two Juntas, the Primera Junta and the Junta Grande. The difficulties of their big compositions were solved first by creating triumvirates and later a single head of state called Supreme Director. During the Argentine War of Independence there were conflicting authorities at the same time, the ones enacted by the revolution and the ones still loyal to Spain. The initial revolutionary governments employed a ruse known as Mask of Ferdinand VII to conceal their intentions under the appearance of loyalty to the removed king..^[4][5][6] The Argentine Declaration of Independence took place on July 9, 1816.

After such independence, Argentina was a federation without an effective central government. In those years, it was first known as Provincias Unidas del Río de la Plata (United Provinces of the River Plate) and later as Provincias Unidas de Sud América (United Provinces of South America).

Juntas

#	Picture	Name	Term start	Term end	Notes
-		Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros	24 May 1810	25 May 1810	An Open Cabildo decided to remove Cisneros as viceroy and make a Junta, but the politicians of the Cabildo decided to invest him with the presidency of such Junta. A local uprising forced him to resign the following day.
-		Cornelio Saavedra	25 May 1810	26 Aug 1811	President of the Primera Junta during all of its existence. President of the Junta Grande, left the government to serve in the battles in the north.
-		Domingo Matheu	26 Aug 1811	22 Sep 1811	President of the Junta Grande since Saavedra's departure, until the dissolution of it.

Triumvirates

The defeat at the Battle of Huaqui generated a political crisis that led to the disband of the Junta Grande, which was replaced by a triumvirate. Thus, a government with many leaders was replaced by one with three leaders. Bernardino Rivadavia, despite not having real power, was highly influential in the first triumvirate.

#	Picture	Name	Term start	Term end	Notes
-		Feliciano Chiclana	22 Sep 1811	8 Oct 1812	Member of the First Triumvirate during all of its existence.
-		Manuel de Sarratea	22 Sep 1811	8 Oct 1812	Member of the First Triumvirate during all of its existence.
-		Juan José Paso	22 Sep 1811	23 Mar 1812	Resigned due to political conflicts with Chiclana.
-		Juan Martín de Pueyrredón	23 Mar 1812	8 Oct 1812	Designated as replacement for Paso.

The First Triumvirate was criticized for not having a strong commitment with the Argentine War of Independence. This led José de San Martín, Carlos María de Alvear and the Logia Lautaro to revolt against it, and promote instead a government with active support to independentism.

#	Picture	Name	Term start	Term end	Notes
-		Juan José Paso	8 Oct 1812	31 Jan 1814	Member of the Second Triumvirate during all of its existence.
-		Nicolás Rodríguez Peña	8 Oct 1812	31 Jan 1814	Member of the Second Triumvirate during all of its existence.
-		Antonio Álvarez Jonte	8 Oct 1812	19 Aug 1813
-		Gervasio Antonio de Posadas	19 Aug 1813	31 Jan 1814

The Second Triumvirate called for the Asamblea del Año XIII which, among other things, replaced the authority of the triumvirate with that of a single leader, called Supreme Director. A Third Triumvirate took the power for a couple of days, to prevent a power vacuum.

#	Picture	Name	Term	Notes
-		José de San Martín	April 18 to 20, 1815
-		Matías de Irigoyen	April 18 to 20, 1815
-		Manuel de Sarratea	April 18 to 20, 1815

Supreme directors

#	Picture	Name	Term start	Term end	Notes
-		Gervasio Antonio de Posadas	31 Jan 1814	9 Jan 1815	Resigned.
-		Carlos María de Alvear	9 Jan 1815	20 Apr 1815	Resigned.
-		Ignacio Álvarez Thomas	20 Apr 1815	9 Jul 1816
-		Juan Martín de Pueyrredón	9 Jul 1816	9 Jun 1819
-		José Rondeau	9 Jun 1819	11 Feb 1820
-		Juan Pedro Julián Aguirre y López de Anaya	11 Feb 1820	16 Feb 1820	interim

The first Presidential Government

After an unsuccessful attempt of establishing a constitution in 1819, a new constitution was established in 1826, the first one creating a figure of President for the executive power of the country. This constitution, however, was short-lived, mainly because of grave conflict with Brazil, which moved its first president to resignation and caused the dissolution of this executive position shortly after.

#	Picture	Name	Term start	Term end	Affiliation	Notes
1		Bernardino Rivadavia	8 Feb 1826	7 Jul 1827	Unitarian	Resigned
2		Vicente López y Planes	7 Jul 1827	18 Aug 1827		Interim, ended by dissolution of national government

The Argentine Confederation

After the dissolution of the Presidential Government, Argentina was without an effective central government for another 28 years. By that time, the country began to be commonly known as Confederación Argentina (Argentine Confederation). The role most near to that of a president was the role of the Governor of the Province of Buenos Aires, who, apart of being governor of his province, was designated by the other provinces as 'Chairman of Foreign Relations' with foreign states. The last Chairman of Foreign Relations, Juan Manuel de Rosas stood in power for a long period of time, and he was overthrown by his General-in-Chief Justo José de Urquiza, which lead to a transitional period before the next presidential period began.

#	Picture	Name	Term start	Term end	Affiliation	Notes
—		Manuel Dorrego	12 Aug 1827	13 Dec 1828	Federal	Executed by Juan Lavalle
—		Juan Lavalle	13 Dec 1828	26 Aug 1829	Unitarian	Forced by Juan Manuel de Rosas to resign with the Cañuelas pact.
—		Juan Jose Viamonte	26 Aug 1829	5 Dec 1829	Federal	Interim governor
—		Juan Manuel de Rosas	5 Dec 1829	17 Dec 1832	Federal	Designated by the legislature of Buenos Aires. Resigned.
—		Juan Ramón Balcarce	17 Dec 1832	5 Nov 1833	Federal
—		Juan Jose Viamonte	5 Nov 1833	1 Oct 1834	Federal	Interim
—		Manuel Vicente Maza	1 Oct 1834	Mar 1835	Federal	Interim
—		Juan Manuel de Rosas	Mar 1835	20 Sep 1851	Federal
—		Juan Manuel de Rosas	20 Sep 1851	3 Feb 1852	Federal	As Supreme Chief of the Confederation
—		Justo José de Urquiza	3 Feb 1852	5 Mar 1854	Federal	provisional Director

The Argentine Republic

The last Chairman of Foreign Relations, Justo José de Urquiza, organized a constitutional convention that composed the Constitution of 1853. This constitution resuscitated the figure of the President, and the presidents elected hereafter are often described as 'constitutional presidents', as they portray the presidential figure as described by the constitution that, through its amendments, is still effective in Argentina to this day.

#	Picture	Name	Term start	Term end	Affiliation	Notes
3		Justo José de Urquiza	5 Mar 1854	5 Mar 1860	Federal
4		Santiago Derqui	5 Mar 1860	5 Nov 1861	Federal	Resigned
5		Juan Esteban Pedernera	5 Nov 1861	12 Dec 1861	Military	acting

In the Battle of Pavón, the rivalry between the Argentine Republic and the State of Buenos Aires was decided in favour of the latter entity, resulting in the dissolution of the national authorities of Argentina. The victor Governor of Buenos Aires, Bartolomé Mitre, acted as president then, and elections later ratified him in his charge, becoming then the first president of a united Argentina. It was by this time that the country became commonly known as República Argentina (Argentine Republic).

#	Picture	Name	Term start	Term end	Affiliation	Notes
—		Bartolomé Mitre	12 Apr 1862	12 Oct 1862	Lib	Governor of Buenos Aires, acting
6		Bartolomé Mitre	12 Oct 1862	12 Oct 1868	Lib	First president of the unified country.
7		Domingo Faustino Sarmiento	12 Oct 1868	12 Oct 1874	Lib
8		Nicolás Avellaneda	12 Oct 1874	12 Oct 1880	UC
9		Julio Argentino Roca	12 Oct 1880	12 Oct 1886	PAN	First term
10		Miguel Juárez Celman	12 Oct 1886	6 Aug 1890	PAN	Resigned
11		Carlos Pellegrini	6 Aug 1890	12 Oct 1892	PAN
12		Luis Sáenz Peña	12 Oct 1892	22 Jan 1895	UC
13		José Evaristo Uriburu	22 Jan 1895	12 Oct 1898	AUT
14		Julio Argentino Roca	12 Oct 1898	12 Oct 1904	AUT	Second term
15		Manuel Quintana	12 Oct 1904	25 Jan 1906	PC	Replaced by vicepresident Alcorta, died the following 12 March 1906
16		José Figueroa Alcorta	25 Jan 1906	12 Oct 1910	PC
17		Roque Sáenz Peña	12 Oct 1910	9 Aug 1914	PC	Died in office
18		Victorino de la Plaza	9 Aug 1914	12 Oct 1916	PC

The governments hereafter are regarded by most historians (except obviously for governments established by coups d'etat) as being the ones that were elected by free and universal vote.

#	Picture	Name	Term start	Term end	Affiliation	Notes
19		Hipólito Yrigoyen	12 Oct 1916	12 Oct 1922	Unión Cívica Radical	First term
20		Marcelo Torcuato de Alvear	12 Oct 1922	12 Oct 1928	Unión Cívica Radical
21		Hipólito Yrigoyen	12 Oct 1928	6 Sep 1930	Unión Cívica Radical	Second term, ousted from office

In 1930 the first military coup d'etat occurred in Argentine history. The resulting leader, who assumed the title of president, was followed in the charge by other presidents who, as regarded by most historians, were not elected by transparent vote as the presidents who had preceded them.

#	Picture	Name	Term start	Term end	Affiliation	Notes
22		José Félix Uriburu	6 Sep 1930	20 Feb 1932	Mil	De Facto
23		Agustín Pedro Justo	20 Feb 1932	20 Feb 1938	CC
24		Roberto María Ortiz	20 Feb 1938	27 Jun 1942	PDN	Died in office
25		Ramón Castillo	27 Jun 1942	4 Jun 1943	Unión Cívica Radical	Deposed in a coup d'état

In 1943, another coup d'état occurred, bringing in a new line of military presidents:

#	Picture	Name	Term start	Term end	Affiliation	Notes
26		Arturo Rawson	4 Jun 1943	7 Jun 1943	Mil	De facto President of the Provisional Government, ousted from office
27		Pedro Pablo Ramírez	7 Jun 1943	9 Mar 1944	Mil	De facto President of the Provisional Government, resigned
28		Edelmiro Julián Farrell	11 Mar 1944	4 Jun 1946	Mil	De facto

After the de facto government, a new president was elected by popular vote, one who amended the constitution enabling his reelection, and stood in power for nine years until he was deposed:

#	Picture	Name	Term start	Term end	Affiliation	Notes
29		Juan Perón	4 Jun 1946	4 Jun 1952		First term
29		Juan Perón	4 Jun 1952	20 Sep 1955		Second term, ousted from office

1955 military coup, also known as Revolución Libertadora (Liberating Revolution):

#	Picture	Name	Term start	Term end	Affiliation	Notes
30		José Domingo Molina Gómez	20 Sep 1955	23 Sep 1955	Mil	De facto, replaced by the military Junta.
31		Eduardo Lonardi	23 Sep 1955	13 Nov 1955	Mil	De Facto, resigned
32		Pedro Eugenio Aramburu	13 Nov 1955	1 May 1958	Mil	De facto

Restoration of an elected president, later deposed by a coup, succeeded by constitutional mechanisms, and this president succeeded by free election, later deposed:

#	Picture	Name	Term start	Term end	Affiliation	Notes
33		Arturo Frondizi	1 May 1958	29 Mar 1962	UCRI	Ousted from office
34		José María Guido	29 Mar 1962	12 Oct 1963	UCRI	President of the senate, acting as president
35		Arturo Umberto Illia	12 Oct 1963	28 Jun 1966	UCRP	Ousted from office

1966 military coup, known as Revolución Argentina (Argentine Revolution):

#	Picture	Name	Term start	Term end	Affiliation	Notes
—		Revolutionary Junta	28 Jun 1966	29 Jun 1966	Mil
36		Juan Carlos Onganía	29 Jun 1966	8 Jun 1970	Mil	De facto, removed from office
—		Revolutionary Junta	8 Jun 1970	18 Jun 1970	Mil
37		Roberto M. Levingston	18 Jun 1970	23 March 1971	Mil	De facto, removed from office
38		Alejandro A. Lanusse	26 Mar 1971	25 May 1973	Mil	De facto

New democratical restoration, short-lived because of political turmoil:

#	Picture	Name	Term start	Term end	Affiliation	Notes
39		Héctor José Cámpora	25 May 1973	13 Jul 1973	FJL	Resigned
40		Raúl Alberto Lastiri	13 Jul 1973	12 Oct 1973	FJL	For Cámpora Interim
41		Juan Perón	12 Oct 1973	30 Jun 1974	PJ	Third term, died in office
42		Isabel Perón	30 Jun 1974	24 Mar 1976	PJ	Ítalo Argentino Lúder served as acting President from September 13, 1975 until October 16, 1975. Deposed in a coup d'état

1976 military coup, known as Proceso de Reorganización Nacional, the last coup of this kind recorded in Argentine history to this day:

#	Picture	Name	Term start	Term end	Affiliation	Notes
—		Military Junta	24 Mar 1976	29 Mar 1976	Mil
43		Jorge Rafael Videla	29 Mar 1976	29 Mar 1981	Mil	De facto
44		Roberto Eduardo Viola	29 Mar 1980	12 Dec 1981	Mil	De facto, resigned
45		Leopoldo Galtieri	22 Dec 1981	17 Jun 1982	De facto
46		Reynaldo Bignone	1 Jul 1982	10 Dec 1983	Mil	De facto

The year 1983 recorded the last transition from military to civil elected authorities in Argentine history, also known as the 'Return of democracy':

#	Picture	Name	Term start	Term end	Affiliation	Notes
47		Raúl Alfonsín	10 Dec 1983	8 Jul 1989	Unión Cívica Radical	Resigned
48		Carlos Menem	8 Jul 1989	8 Jul 1995	PJ	First term

A new constitutional amendment in 1994 re-enabled presidential reelection (abolished in 1957), leading to a second term of the current president. The succeeding president, Fernando de la Rúa, resigned due to the Argentine economic crisis, leading to a line of interim presidents, concluding in the election of the current president as of 2007:

#	Picture	Name	Term start	Term end	Affiliation	Notes
49		Carlos Menem	8 Jul 1995	10 Dec 1999	PJ	Second term
50		Fernando de la Rúa	10 Dec 1999	20 Dec 2001	UCR / Alianza	Resigned
—		Ramón Puerta	21 Dec 2001	22 Dec 2001	PJ	Interim
51		Adolfo Rodríguez Saá	22 Dec 2001	30 Dec 2001	PJ	Elected by Congress Assembled; resigned
—		Eduardo Camaño	31 Dec 2001	1 Jan 2002	PJ	Interim
52		Eduardo Duhalde	2 Jan 2002	25 May 2003	PJ	Elected by Congress Assembled; resigned
53		Néstor Kirchner	25 May 2003	10 Dec 2007	Frente para la Victoria
54		Cristina Fernández	10 Dec 2007		Frente para la Victoria	Incumbent

Affiliations

AL	Alianza	Alliance for Work, Justice and Education, centre-left coalition
Aut	Autonomista	(Autonomist)
CC	Concordancista	(Concordance)
Fed	Federal	(Federalist)
Con	Conciliador	(Conciliator)
Lib	Liberal
Mil	Military
MPF	Movimiento Popular Fueguino	(Tierra del Fuego Popular Movement)
PAN	Partido Autonomista Nacional	(National Autonomist Party)
PC	Partido Conservador	(Conservative Party)
PL	Partido Laborista	(Labor Party) from 1947: PP
PJ	Partido Justicialista	(Justicialist Party) centrist, personalist, ex-Partido Peronista
PP	Partido Peronista	(Peronist Party) conservative, Juan Perón personalist
UC	Unión Cívica	(Civic Union)
UCR	Unión Cívica Radical	(Radical Civic Union)
UCRI	Unión Cívica Radical Intransigente	(Radical Civic Union-Intransigent)
UCRP	Unión Cívica Radical del Pueblo	(Radical Civic Union of the People)
Uni	Unitario	(Unitarian)
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See also

• President of Argentina
• Politics of Argentina
• List of Vice-Presidents of Argentina
• Lists of incumbents

References

External links

• Rulers.org — Argentina list of rulers for Argentina