President of the Argentine Nation
The President of the Argentine Nation is the Head of State, Head of Government and head of the National Executive Branch, politically responsible for the general administration of the Argentine Republic and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces The current president is Alberto Fernández, of the Frente de Todos alliance, who took office on December 10, 2019.
Among other powers and responsibilities, article 99 of the Constitution of the Argentine Nation charges the president "to issue the instructions and regulations that are necessary for the execution of the laws"; makes the president the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, authorizes him to appoint executive and judicial officials (the latter with the consent of the Senate), places him at the forefront of Argentina's foreign policy, allows him to grant pardons or moratoriums, enact or veto laws, introduce legislation through decrees of necessity and urgency (subject to parliamentary control) and declare, with certain conditions, the state of siege and federal intervention in the provinces. Due to the federal nature of the Argentine Republic, the President of the Nation cannot exercise the powers that the Constitution assigns to the governors of the provinces, nor the powers not delegated by the provinces to the Nation. Some of the presidential faculties are concurrent with the provincial governors and those of the City of Buenos Aires, such as non-primary education, health, environmental and labor police, and internal taxes.
He is elected jointly with the person who will occupy the position of vice president, through direct, secret and compulsory suffrage, with the possibility of a second electoral round for a four-year term. Since the reform of the Argentine Constitution of 1994, the president has the possibility of immediate re-election, being able to repeat the mandate again after a period has elapsed. In case of absence from the country, illness, death, dismissal or resignation of a president, the vice president assumes the Presidency.
The position was created by the Constitution of 1853, but previously there were some constitutional authorities that carried the same title, although with different functions due to their unitary structure. Until 1947, the presidency was not allowed to be held by women.
Between 1853 and 2022, a total of twenty-five people were elected to the Presidency, of which only one was a woman: Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. Seven other people were elected as vice-presidents and occupied the Presidency due to death or illness of the incumbents: one of them was a woman, María Estela Martínez de Perón. Seven presidents were overthrown - six of them between 1930 and 1976 - and three elected presidents resigned freely. Five citizens took office due to headlessness, following the legal guidelines for succession.
Twelve people usurped power by force with the title of "president", but with the sum of national and provincial legislative and executive powers, and in some cases also exercising constituent power.
The first person to exercise executive power with the title of «President of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata» was Bernardino Rivadavia in 1826, but under a unitary regime and questioned legislation. After his resignation, the position disappeared in Argentine legislation until in 1853 it was restored by a new constitution, within the framework of a federal regime and an electoral system with little popular participation. Justo José de Urquiza was the first elected under the new regime and held office as "president of the Argentine Confederation", like his successor, Santiago Derqui, who after the constitutional reforms of 1860 took over as "president of the Argentine Nation", title valid to date. Interim President Adolfo Rodríguez Saá was the one who remained in office for the shortest time, with only 7 days, with Julio Argentino Roca being the one who remained in office the longest, with twelve years in office. Hipólito Yrigoyen was the first president elected by secret and compulsory suffrage of men. Juan Domingo Perón was the first president elected by secret and compulsory suffrage of men and women and who was elected the most times, three times in 1946, 1951 and 1973.
The National Autonomist Party (PAN) was the political force that held presidential power for the longest years, exercising it uninterruptedly for 42 years, between 1874 and 1916.
Origin
The origins of Argentina as a nation date back to 1776 when, within the framework of the so-called Bourbon reforms, the King of Spain created the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata – which roughly covered the territories of present-day Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and southern Brazil – separating it from the Viceroyalty of Peru. The head of state was still the king, represented locally by the viceroy who, in general, were born in Spain.
First Governing Board
The First Government Junta, officially Provisional Government Junta of the Río de la Plata Provinces in the name of Mr. Fernando VII, was the government Junta that emerged on May 25, 1810 in Buenos Aires, capital of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, as a result of the triumph of the May Revolution that removed Viceroy Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros. The seat of government was established in the Fort of Buenos Aires, which had served since 1776 as the residence of the viceroys and where the Government House is located today. The First Board existed as such until December 18 of the same year, since with the incorporation of deputies from the interior it became the Big Board.
The president of the First Board of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata was Cornelio Saavedra.
Supreme Director
When representatives from other inland cities joined and then the government was first delegated to a triumvirate and then to a one-person executive branch with the name of supreme director created by the National Assembly of 1813.
The position of supreme director was maintained when, after independence was declared on July 9, 1816 by a Congress meeting in the city of San Miguel de Tucumán, a Constitution was approved in 1819, but due to political circumstances, the It never came into force, the central power was dissolved and the country remained a confederation of provinces.
A new constitution approved in 1826 created the office of president for the first time, to which Bernardino Rivadavia, the first Argentine president, was elected. Due to the war between Argentina and Brazil, Rivadavia resigned after a short period of time, and the office was dissolved shortly thereafter.
A civil war between "unitarios" (unitarians, that is, central government based in Buenos Aires) and "federales" (federalists with full autonomy of the provinces) ensued in the following decades. At this time, there was no central authority and the closest thing to it was the foreign relations representative, usually the governor of the Province of Buenos Aires. The last to bear this title was Juan Manuel de Rosas who, in the last years of his government, was elected supreme head of the Argentine Confederation, acquiring effective power in the rest of the country.
In 1852, Rosas was overthrown and a constituent assembly was called. This constitution, still in force, established a national federal government, with the office of the president, elected through the Electoral College. The term of office was set at six years, with no possibility of re-election. The first president elected under the Constitution was Justo José de Urquiza. After a brief interruption in 1860, the succession of presidents was carried out respecting legal norms until after 1930 it was interrupted by several coups d'état, with which de facto presidents and others legally interspersed. chosen.
In 1930, 1943, 1955, 1962, 1966 and 1976, military coups deposed elected presidents. In 1930, 1943 and 1955 the Armed Forces designated military with the title of president. As a result of the 1966 and 1976 coups d'état, the federal government was exercised by a military junta made up of the heads of each of the three branches of the Armed Forces —Army, Air Force, and Navy— which, in turn, time, he appointed a military man as president. In 1962, before the military could name a new president, the provisional president of the Senate, who was the legal replacement for the deposed president, took office.
It is debatable whether these military heads of state can properly be called presidents, given the illegitimacy of their governments. The position of the current Argentine government is that the soldiers who held the Executive Power between 1976 and 1983 were not explicitly legitimate presidents, for which reason their right to a presidential pension has not been recognized. The situation of the previous military presidents is not defined, although all of them have now died.
The presidential figure in the constitutional texts
Constitution of 1826
Article 68.- The executive branch of the nation is entrusted to one person, under the title of President of the Argentine Republic.Article 70.- Before entering the office, the President-elect will take over the President of the Senate, and in the presence of the two assembled chambers, the following oath: “I (N...) swear by God Our Lord and these Holy Gospels, that I will duly serve as President, who is entrusted to me; that I will protect the Catholic Religion, preserve the integrity and independence of the Republic and faithfully observe the Constitution.”Chapter one. Nature and qualities of this power. Section V. From the Executive Branch, Constitution of the Argentine Nation (1826)
The Constitution of 1826 established that the executive power is exercised by a person under the title of president of the Argentine Republic (article 68). The requirements were to be an Argentine citizen, to be thirty-six years old, nine as a citizen and a capital of ten thousand pesos (articles 24 and 69). He had a five-year term and could not be re-elected (article 71). In case of illness, death, resignation or dismissal, the position was exercised by the president of the senate (article 72). He was elected as follows (articles 73 to 80): In the capital and in each province, a board of 15 voters was formed who voted four months before the end of the term with "signed ballots." Once the voting and scrutiny were finished, the minutes were addressed to the president of the Senate who, together with four members of congress, made the final count. The one who gathered two thirds of the votes was proclaimed president. In the event that no one meets him, he was elected by 2/3 of the congress. He could be removed by indictment of the House of Representatives for "crimes of treason, extortion, embezzlement of public funds, violation of the Constitution, particularly with regard to the primary rights of citizens, or other crimes that deserve the infamous or death penalty." » and be removed by the senate.
Its attributions were (articles 81 to 101) to publish and enforce the laws, convene the congress, annually open sessions, order the legislative elections, be the commander of the land and sea forces needing the congress's permission to command the army in person, provide internal and external security, take measures to guarantee peace, make treaties with the approval of the Senate, appoint and dismiss its five ministers, appoint ambassadors and other agents with the approval of the Senate, receive foreign delegations, issue citizenship letters, exercise the general patronage of churches, «All objects and branches of the Treasury and Police, public and national, scientific and all kinds of establishments, formed and supported with State funds, mints, Banks national posts, posts and roads are of the supreme inspection and spring of the President of the Republic», apply pardons and appoint judges of the court s supreme. In addition, he appointed the governors of the provinces on the proposal of a Council of Administration and approved their budgets. All bills had to go through the executive branch, which approved or objected to them.
Constitution of 1853
Article 71.- The executive branch of the Nation will be held by a citizen entitled “President of the Argentine Confederation”.Article 77.- When the president and vice president took office, they would take oath, in the hands of the President of the Senate (the first time of the President of the Constituent Congress), while the Congress was meeting, in the following terms: "I N.N., I swear to God our Lord and our Holy Gospels, to carry out with loyalty and patriotism the position of president (or vice president) of the Confederation and to observe and faithfully observe the Constitution of the Argentine Confederation. If I did not do so, God and the Confederation sue me. "Chapter one. Of its nature and duration. Section II. From the Executive Branch, Constitution of the Argentine Nation (1853)
Articles 71 to 90 contained the stipulations relating to the executive power. The holder of this was unipersonal and bore the title of President of the Argentine Confederation. A vice president, elected jointly with him, would replace him in case of absence, disability or resignation.
The requirements for election as president were similar to those required for senators; They added the condition of being a native or being the son of one in case of being born outside the national territory and the practice of the Catholic religion, the only concession to the montoneros. His term would extend for a term of six years, with no possibility of re-election until a full term had passed; no cause allowed the extension of this beyond six years from the original date of assumption.
The procedure for the presidential election was indirect; the electorate of each province would choose a number of delegates, equal to double the total number of deputies and senators that were elected by it. The voters of each province would vote at their discretion for the candidates they deem most convenient and would send a sealed copy of their resolution to the Nation's Senate; Once all the lists have been received, the Legislative Assembly will scrutinize them. If there is an absolute majority of a candidate as a result, the proclamation would be automatic. In the event that none of them have the same, the Legislative Assembly would immediately elect and with a simple plurality of votes between the two candidates with the most votes or more in the event of a tie for first or second place. In the latter case, if there is no candidate with an absolute majority in the first instance, a ballot will be held between the two candidates with the most votes in the first round. The quorum for this election was three-fourths of the congressmen.
According to the first paragraph of article 90, the president was the supreme authority of the Confederation, in what is called a presidentialist regime: he was not responsible for his actions, within the framework imposed by the Constitution, to no higher authority and did not require the approval of Congress for the exercise of the powers that correspond to it. He was also the holder of the executive power of the city designated federal capital and the head of the armed forces.
The president enjoyed legislative powers: in addition to the approval and promulgation of the laws enacted by Congress, including the power of veto, he was in charge of issuing the necessary regulations for the application of the law, called decrees, although respecting its original spirit. The signing of treaties with other states was his exclusive responsibility, as well as the decision to process or not the documents issued by the Catholic pontiff.
As an authority on foreign policy, he is in charge of appointing ambassadors and other ministers to negotiate with foreign powers; the election and removal of embassy heads required a senatorial agreement —a vestige of the influence of the North American constitution, in which the Senate shares power over foreign relations with the president, over conventions—, but that of the functionaries of lower rank was entirely in his charge. For the same reason, it was the authority in charge of managing military affairs, disposing of the army, designating its officers —with the consent of the Senate, in the case of higher positions in the ranks—, issuing letters of marque, declaring the war or decreeing a state of siege when its cause is the attack of a foreign power.
His involvement with the tasks of Congress was not limited to the promulgation of laws: the president was in charge of opening sessions in the Legislative Assembly, in which he communicated to himself his considerations about his task and the extension or call for sessions outside the ordinary period.
With respect to the judiciary, he was in charge of appointing the judges of the federal courts, for which the senatorial agreement required; In addition, it had the power to pardon those convicted of crimes under federal jurisdiction, except in cases of impeachment. He did not have the power to impose sentences, but did —in a state of siege— decree the temporary arrest or transfer of people, unless they preferred to leave the national territory. If they did not have the agreement of Congress when issuing them, these measures automatically expired after 10 days.
As in charge of the national administration, he was entrusted with the collection of national income and its application, within the framework of the budget law; he had the power to grant the enjoyment of licenses or montepíos and to collect any kind of information from the national administration.
The Constitution fixed as assistants to the president five ministers, chosen by him, in portfolios of Interior, Foreign Relations, Finance, Justice, Worship and Public Instruction and War and Navy. The ministerial endorsement was necessary for government decrees. The ministers were also obliged to report to Congress at the opening of sessions and empowered to take part in its debates, although without a vote. The task was incompatible with the exercise of national legislative power.
Constitutional reforms
Article 74.- The Executive Power of the Nation will be held by a citizen entitled “President of the Argentine Nation”.Article 80.- In taking office the president and vice president will take oath, in the hands of the President of the Senate (The first time of the President of the Constituent Congress), the Congress being gathered, in the following terms: "I N.N., I swear by God our Lord and our Holy Gospels, to carry out with loyalty and patriotism the position of president (or vice president) of the Nation and to observe and faithfully observe the Constitution of the Argentine Nation. If I did not, God and the Nation sue me. »Chapter one. Of its nature and duration. Section II. From the Executive Branch, Constitution of the Argentine Nation (1860)
- The reform of 1860 renamed the post as President of the Argentine Nation, granted the provinces the right to request the intervention of the Federal Government in its territory, the Chamber of Deputies the right to accuse in political trial members of the executive branch and judges and removed the executive branch from the power to suspend constitutional guarantees.
- In 1866 no changes were made to the government system
- In 1898, eight cabinet ministries were raised (formerly 5)
- By 1949, the president ' s unlimited re-election was permitted and the electoral college was eliminated (the election would be direct, by popular vote) and the limit of the number of ministries. In addition, the state would not authorize organizations that had principles contrary to individual freedoms and, apart from the state of siege, the president could, without approval of the congress, declare the state of prevention and alarm.
- The reform of 1957 repealed the reform of 1949 and reinstated the constitution of 1853 with the reforms of 1860, 1866 and 1898, limited the powers of intervention, assigning them to the Congress exclusively, except for cases of foreign invasion, the prohibition to the executive branch of expelling any inhabitant, Argentine or foreign, further limited the powers of the President to arrest persons and established guarantees for persons detained under the state of siege,
- The 1994 reform established a four-year mandate and enabled the presidential re-election, created the figure of the head of the Cabinet - which must turn to the Congress to report on the management of the Government- the possibility of making the legislative delegation in the Executive Branch through the decrees of necessity and urgency, eliminated the electoral college and established the system of batting.
Powers and duties
Article 99
The President of the Nation has the following powers:
Executive powers
The president is the supreme head of the Nation, head of government and political person in charge of the general administration of the country (section 1), and is at the head of the executive branch of the government, whose responsibility is to «Issue instructions and regulations that are necessary for the execution of the laws” (paragraph 2). To carry out this duty, he is given control of the four million employees of the federal executive branch.
The president is responsible for the appointment and removal of various members of the executive branch. Ambassadors (according to Law 20,957, the president can designate up to 25 ambassadors of his trust without the approval of the Senate, who must leave their functions when the president ends his term), plenipotentiary ministers, business managers, the president of the Central Bank of the Republic Argentina, the Attorney General of the Nation and the director of the Federal Intelligence Agency are all appointed by the president with the "advice and consent" of a majority of the Senate; and by itself appoints and removes members of the Cabinet and other federal officials (subsection 7). Appointments made while the Senate is not in session are temporary and expire at the end of the next Senate session (item 19).
He supervises the exercise of his ministers (paragraph 10) and can request the reports he deems appropriate (paragraph 17). Generally, the president may remove and fill vacancies in executive officers at his discretion (subsection 19).
Perhaps the most important of all presidential powers is his position at the head of the Argentine Armed Forces as its commander-in-chief (item 12). While the power to declare war rests constitutionally with Congress (section 15), the president commands and directs his armies and is responsible for planning military strategy and granting military jobs and ranks (sections 13 and 14).
Along with the military, the president is also in charge of foreign policy. Through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense, the president is responsible for the protection of Argentines abroad and Argentine citizens in national territory. The president decides whether to recognize new nations and new governments, receives his ministers and admits consuls, and negotiates treaties with other nations, which become effective in Argentina when they are approved by two thirds of the Senate (paragraph 11). The president can also negotiate "executive agreements" with foreign powers that are not subject to Senate confirmation.
Grants pensions, withdrawals, licenses and pensions (subsection 6); and may be absent from the national territory, with the permission of Congress (subsection 18).
In matters of internal security, the president is empowered to declare:
- The state of siege (Section 16), with constitutional guarantees ceased, in the event of an external attack or internal shock with a Senate agreement, and may only declare it on its own when the Congress is in recess by decree and summoning both chambers for treatment, but it may not condemn itself or apply penalties, limiting its power to arrest and transfer to citizens (article 23 of the Constitution).
- La federal intervention (paragraph 20) of one or more provinces, taking over the executive and legislative branches of the province by appointing an interventor for 180 extended days and calling for elections to elect the new authorities, through a decree then endorsed by Congress or a bill approved by Congress.
Legislative powers
The first power vested in the president by the Constitution is the legislative power of presidential veto. Any bill passed by Congress must be submitted to the president before it can become law. Once the legal norm has been presented, the president has three options:
- Sign it; the legislative bill becomes law.
- Vetarla total or partly and return it to Congress with its objections; the bill does not become law, unless each House of Congress votes to cancel the veto with a favorable two-thirds majority.
- Don't do anything. In that case, the president neither sign nor veto the legislation. After 10 days, it becomes law.
Then it promulgates them and has them published in the Official Gazette. The president can issue decrees that regulate the political organization of the country and regulate the laws approved by Congress, signed together with the chief of staff and the ministers involved.
The president is prohibited from issuing legislation, except in exceptional circumstances, through:
- Decrees of necessity and urgency (paragraph 3): provided that they do not regulate criminal, tax, electoral or political party regimes, in general agreement with ministers and are analyzed and approved by Congress, who may repeal UNDU by rejecting both chambers.
- Decrees delegates (Constitution, art. 76): Congress, by means of a special law, may delegate legislative powers in the area of public administration and public emergency to the President, in accordance with a specified time limit and the guidelines where it may act. Thus the president is empowered to issue decrees of delegates signed together with the head of the Cabinet, who must inform Congress of the provisions for analysis by the Bicameral Commission.
The president can play an important role in shaping Congress, especially if the president's political party has a majority in one or both houses. Members of the executive branch cannot simultaneously hold their office and a seat in Congress, but it is common for them to draft legislation and have a senator or representative introduce it for them.
The president can significantly influence the legislature through the annual report, written or oral at the opening of regular sessions, which he must constitutionally present to Congress meeting in Assembly, normally issued on March 1, every year. This speech often outlines the legislative offer for the coming year (paragraph 8). In accordance with articles 63 and 99 paragraph 9, the president can summon one or both Chambers of Congress for an extraordinary session by means of a decree, indicating the bills to be discussed.
Judicial powers
The president also has the power to propose federal judges, including members of the Supreme Court of Argentina, on the basis of a binding proposal from the Council of the Magistracy (paragraph 4). However, these appointments require the confirmation of the Senate by two-thirds of the members present and this can be a major stumbling block given the possibility that a president wanted to form a federal judiciary with a particular ideological position. He can also grant pardons and pardons, but not intervene in accusations of the Chamber of Deputies (section 5).
Election process
Eligibility
In the Constitution of 1994, in its article 89 of the second section, on the executive power, it establishes the requirements to be president:
- Be born in Argentine territory or be a child of native citizens
- The other qualities required to be elected senator:
- To be 30 years old,
- Been six years a citizen of the Nation,
- Have 2 years of immediate residence in it,
- An annual income of two thousand strong pesos or an equivalent entry.
- Disqualification to hold another post during the exercise of the presidency (art. 92)
Choice
The contemporary presidential campaign begins before the primary election, when political parties can make a selection of candidates. In the primary elections, those who pass the floor of 1.5% of the electoral roll are qualified for the general elections.
Since 2015, candidates have participated in nationally televised debates, and they were regulated as mandatory as of 2016. Candidates from each party regularly campaign throughout the country to explain their electoral programs, convince voters and solicit campaign contributions.
Between 1853 and 1994, the president was elected by indirect vote, that is, electors were chosen for the Electoral College that allowed them to win by large majorities, since, with the exception of the election of Domingo Faustino Sarmiento in 1868, in all the others the winning candidate had achieved a majority in the College in the election. The election for president was by cast and by fraud, requiring an absolute majority (half plus one of the voters) to be president. The sanction of the Sáenz Peña Law in 1912 established the secret and compulsory vote among men over 18 years of age using the military register, being applied in the elections of 1916, 1922 and 1928 won by the Radical Civic Union, and won in 1946 by the forces that would later form the Justicialista Party.
After the coup d'état of 1930, the elections of 1931 and 1937 were carried out with electoral fraud and the boycott of the Unión Cívica Radical (ruling party before the coup and the majority in the country), until 1935. With the reform In 1949, the electoral college was eliminated and direct voting was established with the inclusion of women through a 1947 law, it being necessary to simply obtain the largest number of positive votes to be elected. Thus, Juan Domingo Perón was reelected in 1951 The 1955 military coup reinstated the previous electoral system with the proscription of the Peronist and Communist parties, applying it to the 1958 and 1963 elections. In 1972, the ruling military dictatorship established universal direct voting, requiring 50% of the votes affirmative with the possibility of balloting between the formulas that obtained more than 15% of the votes and the end of the proscriptions. This was applied to the elections of March and September 1973. After the end of the National Reorganization Process, a dictatorship that had ruled since 1976, the 1983 and 1989 elections were carried out by universal indirect vote with an electoral college requiring an absolute majority. of the voters to be president.
In 1994 the Constitution was amended and provided that the candidate is directly elected by the people in a double round (Art. 94). The call must be made no less than ninety days in advance and the election will be held within two months prior to the end of the mandate of the outgoing president and vice president (Art. 95). In the first round, if the formula obtains 45% plus one of the votes, or obtaining 40% exceeds the second by 10%, computing only the affirmative votes, this is excluding blank or null votes, its members will be proclaimed as president and vice president (Arts. 97 and 98). The Electoral Boards must inform the President of the Senate of the result of the election within 10 calendar days, who will convene the Legislative Assembly to proclaim the elected formula (Art. 120 of the National Electoral Code). If no formula meets the requirements after the announcement of the result by the Legislative Assembly, the second round will be held between the two formulas with the most votes, 30 days after the election, which will be proclaimed by a simple majority of the affirmative votes. The formulas must confirm their participation to the Electoral Board of the Federal Capital within the fifth day of the proclamation of the Assembly, otherwise the other formula will be elected (Arts. 150, 151, 152 C.N.E.).
Presidential inauguration
The National Constitution establishes that the inauguration of the presidential position is carried out before the National Congress meeting in the Legislative Assembly (art. 93). The Constitution also establishes that at that time, both the president and the vice president must take an oath, respecting their religious beliefs, to "carry out their office with loyalty and patriotism" and "observe and have the Constitution faithfully observed" (art. 93). Said oath must be taken "in the hands of the President of the Senate" (art. 93).
Article 93. In taking office the President and Vice-President shall swear in the hands of the President of the Senate and before the Congress meeting in Assembly, respecting their religious beliefs, to: "To exercise with loyalty and patriotism the office of President (or vice president) of the Nation and to observe and faithfully observe the Constitution of the Argentine Nation.
There are no other legal regulations on the way in which the presidential inauguration should take place. The formalization of the same has traditionally been carried out by means of an act authenticated by the official notary public of the Presidency.
Historically, presidents have established various additional ceremonies, defined by ceremonial regulations that have no normative value. The large number of coups suffered by Argentina in the century XX, made many of the inauguration ceremonies take place in the Casa Rosada, because the National Congress had been closed. After the coup d'état of 1930 and Until 1989, there was only one transmission due to the end of the constitutional mandate: in 1937 with the transmission of command from Agustín P. Justo to Roberto M. Ortiz.
The assumption of command ceremony includes the so-called "presidential attributes," a tradition that dates back to 1813, when the first constituent assembly of the nascent Argentine state was held. Various presidential attributes were customarily established throughout history, three of which have persisted in recent years. The first was the presidential band, a tradition that dates back to 1824. The second was the Ituzaingó march, whose tradition dates back to 1827, to commemorate the Argentine victory in the War against Brazil. The third was the cane, a tradition that dates back to 1932.
The moment, the place and the person who delivers the presidential attributes have varied over time, and even according to each president. It has been a constant practice, after democracy was recovered in 1983, for the incoming president, immediately after taking office, to deliver a speech before the Legislative Assembly.
Duration
According to the reform approved in 1994, the term of office of the president is four years with the possibility of immediate re-election for another four years. A person who served two consecutive terms is qualified for another re-election once at least one presidential term has elapsed since he left office. These restrictions apply in the same way to those who have served as vice presidents in one or both terms.
Under the Constitution of 1853 and until 1994, the president had a term of office for six years, without the possibility of consecutive re-election. The 1949 reform allowed for re-election without limitation, but it was annulled by a resolution of the military government that emerged in 1955, which ratified the constituent convention of 1957, thereby returning to the regime of 1853. The government that emerged from the military coup in 1966 limited the term of office to four years with a consecutive re-election through a transitory statute in 1972 that only applied for one election and then was not ratified.
There were only five people re-elected in office, Julio Argentino Roca in 1898 and Hipólito Yrigoyen in 1928 due to the constitutional reform of 1898, Juan Domingo Perón in 1952 due to the 1949 reform and in 1973 due to the 1957 reform, and Carlos Saúl Menem in 1995 and Cristina Fernández de Kirchner in 2011 for the 1994 reform.
Discussion on the start and end of the mandate
Since 2015, the precise moment in which the presidential term begins and ends has been discussed in Argentina. Until then, the practice was that the presidential term began at the moment the president-elect was sworn in before the Legislative Assembly and ended four years later, when his successor took the oath. The tradition has been that the presidential oath was taken during the change of command day, such that the outgoing president would rule until handover and the incoming president would rule from handover.
In 2015, the outgoing president, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, and the incoming president, Mauricio Macri, did not agree on the place where the baton of command should be handed over. The current norm established that it should be held in the National Congress, but the president-elect wanted it to be held in the Casa Rosada. The event had a symbolic meaning: after the 2001 Crisis, President Eduardo Duhalde had decided to hand over the baton in Congress in 2003, in order to strengthen the image of the Legislative Branch and associate it with democracy. That decision was upheld by all subsequent presidents.
In 2015 Macri requested a change in the norm, to deliver the cane to the Casa Rosada, but Cristina Fernández denied the request. If, as had traditionally happened, the office of president was assumed at the time of the oath, the power to establish the formalities for the transmission of command corresponded to the outgoing president. Mauricio Macri then began a judicial process requesting the electoral judge María Romilda Servini to prohibit President Cristina Fernández from exercising the presidency as of 00:00 on December 10, 2015.
Based on the opinion of prosecutor Di Lello, judge Servini established that the presidential mandate and the assumption of office occurred at different times. Resorting to article 6 of the Civil and Commercial Code of the Nation, which establishes the way of counting the terms, Judge Servini established that the presidential mandates began at 00:00 hours on December 10 and ended four years later, at 12:00 p.m. on December 9. But she clarified that, despite the fact that his term had begun, the president-elect could not make decisions until he took the oath established by the Constitution, an essential formality to take office. By virtue of said decision, the presidency of Cristina Fernández ended twelve hours before the time established for the assumption of the Presidency by Mauricio Macri, leaving her headless.
To resolve this inconsistency, Judge Servini ordered that the time during which the Presidency remained vacant between the end of the mandate of the outgoing president and the assumption of the successor, should be exercised during that time, by the person who had been sworn in as provisional president of the Senate, a position that Federico Pinedo had assumed at that time.
Because in Argentina judicial rulings are only valid for the specific case, in 2019 uncertainty reappeared about the precise moment when presidential terms end and begin. If the criteria established in the Servini ruling were applied, the mandate of Mauricio Macri would have expired at 24:00 on December 9, 2019, leaving the Presidency headless until President Alberto Fernández took the oath the next day. If Servini's ruling is not applied and a return to traditional practice, Mauricio Macri's term would end at noon on December 10, 2019, exceeding the constitutional mandate by twelve hours.
Termination or disability
Office vacancy
The presidential office can be vacated by various circumstances: death, resignation, and dismissal. To date, three people have died in office, all due to natural causes: Manuel Quintana in 1906, Roque Sáenz Peña in 1914 and Juan Domingo Perón in 1974.
In the case of resignation from office, the president writes a letter of resignation addressed to the provisional president of the Senate, which must be accepted by the congress meeting in the Legislative Assembly. This event occurred twelve times in history: Bernardino Rivadavia and Vicente López y Planes in 1827, Santiago Derqui and Juan Esteban Pedernera in 1861, Miguel Juárez Celman in 1890, Luis Sáenz Peña in 1895, Roberto Marcelino Ortiz in 1942, Héctor Cámpora in 1973, Raúl Alfonsín in 1989, Fernando de la Rúa and Adolfo Rodríguez Saá in 2001, and Eduardo Duhalde in 2003.
Regarding dismissal, Article 53 of the National Constitution authorizes the Chamber of Deputies to accuse the president, vice president, chief of staff, ministers and judges of the Supreme Court before the Senate for "bad performance or for a crime in its functions; or for common crimes» by a majority of two thirds of the members present. Thus begins the impeachment process (Articles 59 and 60) by the Senate presided over by the president of the Supreme Court (in the event that the president is the accused), being found guilty by two thirds of those present. As his name indicates, the trial is political, so only his outcome has political consequences such as dismissal from office and/or his disqualification from holding public office for a determined period. Criminal responsibility will be determined by the federal courts according to the Criminal Procedure Code.
The process can be initiated by an official or citizen and must take place in the Impeachment Committee of the Chamber of Deputies, who consider the complaint admissible or not. If it is admissible, a summary is initiated for the investigation such as the summons of witnesses, the interception of telephone conversations and the request for information from public organizations issued by a judge, and even the statement of the accused. After completing the investigation, the Commission, with the favorable vote of half plus one of its members, submits the opinion to the Chamber. If two thirds of the Chamber of Deputies approves the opinion, the same Chamber must elect one or two deputies who will present the accusation before the Senate. The Chamber of Senators, for its part, will decide by two thirds of those present whether to dismiss or acquit the accused.
Subrogation and presidential succession
| Presidential successor line | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Vice-Chairman |
| 2 | Temporary President of the Senate |
| 3 | President of the Chamber of Deputies |
| 4 | President of the Supreme Court |
According to article 153 of the National Electoral Code, in case of death or resignation of any of the members of the elected formula, article 88 of the Constitution will be applied. If the president-elect is unable to assume office by death or resignation, he or she will be replaced by the vice-president-elect. In the event of the death or resignation of both, new elections will be held.
In the event that the acting president is unable to continue holding office, for reasons such as illness, absence, death, resignation or dismissal, the position is held by the vice-president (article 88 of the National Constitution).
In case a replacement for the president is required in a circumstance in which a vice president is not available, the Constitution establishes in its art. 88 that corresponds to the Congress to establish who will assume the position. To this end, Law 20,972, of Acephalia, was sanctioned, establishing the line of succession for that case: temporarily the Executive Power must be exercised by the provisional president of the Senate, in the absence of this the president of the Chamber of Deputies, and in the absence of both by the president of the Supreme Court of Justice. That official will be in charge of the Executive Power without assuming the title of “president”.
If the vacancy is temporary, these officials must exercise the Executive Power until the return of the president. If the vacancy is not transitory, the Congress in Legislative Assembly (both chambers reunited, deputies and senators) by a simple majority, within a period of two days must elect a president to govern, who must finish the unfinished term or call for new elections (article 88 of the National Constitution). That functionary must be chosen among the senators, deputies or governors. In case there is already an elected president and vice president, they will take office earlier to fulfill the mandate. Such were the cases of Vicente López y Planes in 1827 and José María Guido in 1962 as provisional presidents of the Senate, Raúl Lastiri in 1973 as president of the Chamber of Deputies, Adolfo Rodríguez Saá in 2001 as governor of the Province of San Luis, and Eduardo Duhalde in 2002 as a national senator for the Province of Buenos Aires.
The Vice President
The vice president is the running mate of the president, both being the only two elected members of the Argentine executive branch. The vice president is the substitute of the president in case of trips or licenses. A notable case was that of Vice President Marcos Paz, who temporarily replaced President Bartolomé Miter for five years, while the latter led Argentine troops on the front lines in the Paraguayan War. Paz died while exercising the presidency, forcing Miter to return to Buenos Aires to resume command. He is also the replacement of the president in case of death or resignation, definitively. Such were the cases of vice presidents Juan Esteban Pedernera in 1861, Carlos Pellegrini in 1890, José Evaristo Uriburu in 1895, José Figueroa Alcorta in 1906, Victorino de la Plaza in 1914, Ramón Castillo in 1942 and María Estela Martínez de Perón in 1974.
Likewise, he is also president of the Senate of the Argentine Nation, although without the right to vote except in the case of a tie.
Special case of the assumption of José María Guido
On March 29, 1962, a military uprising took place with the aim of overthrowing President Arturo Frondizi, of the Unión Cívica Radical Intransigente party, who refused to resign. Frondizi was arrested by the military and taken to Martín García Island, the rebels anticipating that, the following day, Lieutenant General Raúl Poggi, leader of the victorious insurrection, would assume the Presidency.
On the night of March 29, 1962, some civil personalities led by a member of the National Supreme Court of Justice, Dr. Julio Oyhanarte, with the support of Frondizi himself, devised a maneuver to prevent the institutional breakdown from being total. This is how they took the arrest of Frondizi as a case of headlessness that allowed the person in first place in the line of succession to assume the presidency according to Law 252, which in the case was Dr. José María Guido, a senator from the same party that Frondizi who provisionally presided over the Senate, due to the previous resignation of Vice President Alejandro Gómez. Based on that interpretation, they made Guido swear that same night before the Supreme Court of Justice as the new president.
The coup military ended up accepting the situation and summoned Guido to the Casa Rosada to inform him that he would be recognized as president, as long as he committed in writing to carry out the political measures indicated by the Armed Forces, the first of they annul the elections in which Peronism had won. Guido accepted the military impositions, signed an act stating this and was then authorized by them to install himself with the title of president, but closing the National Congress and intervening all the provinces.
In this way, Guido unconstitutionally assumed the national executive and legislative powers and the command of all the provinces, under the control and supervision of the Armed Forces, which reserved the right to remove him, but keeping the Judiciary intact. Guido also kept Frondizi illegally imprisoned throughout his government and did not allow him or his party to stand in the presidential elections of 1963, in the same way that he continued the persecution of Juan Domingo Perón that led him into exile, and prohibited the presentation of Peronist candidates.
Dictatorships and “de facto” governments under the title of “president”
Following military coups that overthrew constitutional governments, there were military and civilian presidents who usurped power and were euphemistically described as "de facto", in 1930-1932, 1943-1946, 1955-1958, 1962- 1963, 1966-1973 and 1976-1983. In all cases they assumed power with the title of "president", concentrating the executive and legislative powers corresponding to the Nation and the provinces, and from 1956, they also assumed constitutional power. From the beginning, the Supreme Court of Justice legitimized dictatorships justifying the decision through a doctrine known as the "doctrine of de facto governments."
This doctrine was annulled by the constitutional reform of 1994 (article 36), which declared "usurpers" those who have interrupted the observance of the Constitution by acts of force.
The Constituent Convention of 1853 included in the constitutional text a norm (current article 29) that considered the granting of the «sum of public power» as a crime of «treason against the Fatherland», but it was referred to the acts of Congress national and provincial legislatures. For this reason, in the constitutional reform of 1994, article 36 was included, which says:
Article 36. This Constitution will maintain its empire even if its observance by acts of force against the institutional order and the democratic system is interrupted. These acts will be unheard of.Its authors shall be liable to the penalty provided for in Article 29, which is permanently disqualified to hold public office and excluded from the benefits of pardon and commutation of sentences.
They shall have the same penalties, which, as a result of these acts, use the functions envisaged for the authorities of this Constitution or those of the provinces, which shall be civil and criminally responsible for their acts. The respective actions will be unprescriptible.
All citizens have the right to resist those who execute the acts of force set forth in this article.
It will also seek against the democratic system who commits a serious crime against the state that carries enrichment, being disqualified by the time the laws determine to occupy public office or employment.
The Congress shall sanction a law on public ethics for the exercise of the function.
In summary, this article establishes:
- Absolute invalidity of acts dictated by Governments established by force;
- The authors will be punished as "infamous traitors to the homeland";
- These offences are imprescriptible and their perpetrators cannot receive the benefit of pardon;
- Every citizen has the right to resist these acts of force.
Salary and benefits
Presidential Attributes
The presidential attributes demonstrate the dignity of the First Magistracy of the Nation, being symbols governed by custom that represent the President of the Republic before the citizens. Traditionally there are five: the Presidential Sash, the Command Staff, the Ituzaingó Military March, the Presidential Presence Banner or Flag, and the "Rivadavia chair". The delivery of the attributes represents the moment in which the outgoing president transmits presidential authority to the new president. Each president receives a new sash and baton, which they usually keep as a memento of their tenure in office once their terms cease.
Presidential Sash
The presidential sash is a thin fabric ribbon with the colors of the Flag embroidered with a sun and finished in a gold thread tassel, which is placed crosswise across the right shoulder and falling to the left side, over the clothing to signify that its wearer is the holder of a dignity or honor and, as such, must be recognized by all.
The Assembly of the Year XIII on January 26, 1814, when establishing the position of Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata, established that a sash and a cane corresponded to him, being Gervasio Antonio de Posadas the first person in using them. The band was two-tone, white in the center and blue on the sides, ending in a gold tassel, until the governorship of Juan Manuel de Rosas, when it was changed to punctured red, and the original color was restored during the presidency of Justo José de Urquiza. and including the embroidery with a sun. During the conservative presidencies it was embroidered with the national shield in gold. On April 24, 1944, President Edelmiro Julián Farrell issued Decree-Law 10,302/1944; where he instituted the patriotic symbols. In its 4th article it legislated on the Presidential Band, going from being a traditional attribute to a legal distinction:
"The band that distinguishes the Head of State, authorized by the Constituent Assembly in the reform of the government's provisional statute of 26 January 1814 and reached by the distinction of 25 February 1818, will bear the same colors, in equal position and the sun of the Official Flag. This badge will end up in an embroidery without another emblem. Both the sun and the embroidery will be made with threads, with golden bath, of optimal quality and maximum inalterability in time"Article 4 of Decree Law 10.302/1944
Ituzaingó March
The march is a melody-only piece of music used in official acts where the president appears to indicate his arrival. The score was found in a chest, among the battle trophies after the victory of Carlos María de Alvear in the Battle of Ituzaingó during the Brazilian War. It is believed that it was composed by the Brazilian Emperor Pedro I for the Marquis of Barbacena, commander of his troops, in case of a possible triumph in Ituzaingó. It was first used for this purpose on May 25, 1827, and —with the exception of an interlude between January 26, 1946 and August 28, 1959, when it was replaced for that purpose by the San Lorenzo march— it has been used ever since.
Presidential baton
The baton of command (or staff of command, also called maniple) is a protocol complement that denotes in the person who carries it, authority or command over a group or collective identity. It was established as a presidential attribute in 1932.
Since 1983, the goldsmith Juan Carlos Pallarols, who comes from a family of artisans whose workshop dates back to 1750, makes the cane that consists of a stick of urunday wood (from Chaco and Misiones) of ninety centimeters (according to the height of the president-elect) with a silver handle adorned by the National Shield and flowers of twenty-four thistles, one for each province; and three saplings, representing the South Atlantic Islands. From 1932 under the government of José Félix Uriburu until then, they were manufactured by the artisan Luis Ricciardi as was the fashion: with Malacca cane, 18-carat gold handle adorned with the national emblem, gold spike and two tassels.
Presidential symbols
Presidential banner and chair of Rivadavia
The Casa Rosada presidential chair, or misnamed "Rivadavia chair" because it is believed to have been used by Bernardino Rivadavia, corresponds to the first presidency of Julio Argentino Roca. It was purchased from Casa Forest in Paris in 1885 and is made of Italian walnut wood, decorated with the gold leaf technique, with gold foil. It has been used since then by all the presidents of the country.
The presidential banner is a heraldic flag of a light blue cloth adorned with the shield of the Argentine Nation located in its central part and accompanied by four five-pointed stars placed in each of its vertices, used as the insignia of the president of the Argentine Nation and is raised in the place where the President of the Nation is located.
Presidential Palace
The president has his office in the seat of government, the Casa Rosada. Since 1862, the then President Bartolomé Miter settled in the old Fort of Buenos Aires, which had been the residence of Spanish governors and viceroys, and other authorities of the successive national governments from 1810. His successor, Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, decided to embellish the home of the National Executive Power, endowing it with gardens and painting the facades pink, with which, later, it continued to be characterized. The construction of the current Government House began in 1873, when a decree ordered the construction of the Post Office and Telegraph building on the corner of Balcarce and Hipólito Yrigoyen streets. A few years later, President Julio Argentino Roca decided to build the definitive Government Palace on the corner of Balcarce and Rivadavia, a building similar to the neighboring Post Office Palace. Both buildings were joined in 1886 through the portico that today constitutes the entrance of the Casa Rosada that faces Plaza de Mayo.
Official and summer residence
The official residence has changed throughout history. Rivadavia (1826-27) lived in the House of the Viceroys, in the old Fort of Buenos Aires, while his successors lived in his private houses. The exception was Roque Sáenz Peña who set up a room on the first floor in the Casa Rosada because his illness prevented him from moving easily.
In the mid-1930s, the state acquired the property owned by Carlos Madariaga and his wife Josefina Anchorena, located at 1034 Suipacha street in the City of Buenos Aires, to convert it into a Presidential Residence. The first president to use it is Roberto Ortiz together with his wife, María Luisa Iribarne.
In 1937 (during the presidency of Agustín Pedro Justo) the state acquired the Palacio Unzué, a residence built by Mariano Unzué and Mercedes Baudrix in 1887 located in a splendid park designed by Carlos Thays, surrounded by Agüero, Alvear (Libertador) and Austria, in the neighborhood of Recoleta, Buenos Aires. The first and only president who used it permanently was Juan Domingo Perón and his wife Eva Duarte.
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The presidential Quinta de Olivos was donated by the Anchorena Olaguier family in 1918 under the presidency of Yrigoyen. Since 1918 the presidents have been using it as an occasional and summer residence, being the first to inhabit it permanently Pedro Eugenio Aramburu. Since then it has been used as an official and permanent residence. In Quinta de Olivos, President Juan Domingo Perón died on July 1, 1974 while he was serving his third term, being until now the only president who died there. La Quinta is a large residential complex made up of a vast park located in the town of Olivos in the Vicente López district. The presidential residence occupies the main building, with neoclassical lines, built by Prilidiano Pueyrredón in 1854. The façades are preserved as they were in the XIX century, however, the interiors and the park underwent reforms with the passing of the different presidents.
He has a summer residence in the town of Chapadmalal (Buenos Aires province), which is called Chapadmalal Presidential Unit. The Chapadmalal house, built during the first government of Perón, has a private beach, a viewpoint with views of the coast, and several gardens. It was last remodeled in the 1990s, during the presidency of Carlos Menem.
Salary and transportation
The president and vice president enjoy a salary paid by the National Treasury, which may not be altered during the period of their appointments. During the same period they may not hold another job, nor receive any other emolument from the Nation, nor from any province. The gross salary of the president is 354,694 Argentine pesos.
To get around, the president uses planes that are part of the Presidential Air Group:
- four planes: 1 Boeing 757/200 T-01 (deactivated); 2 Fokker F-28 T-02 and T-03 (deactivated); 1 Boeing 737/500 T-04; 1 Learjet 60 (T-10).
- 3 helicopters: 1 Sikorsky S-70A Black Hawk (H-01); 2 Sikorsky S-76B (H-02 and H-03).
The presidential car currently in use is a Mercedes Benz Vito, although a Volkswagen Touareg and a Chrysler Town & Country
Security
The Military House is in charge of protecting the president and his family. Based in the Casa Rosada, the Casa Militar is led by a senior officer of the Armed Forces, whose position rotates every two years and "must provide the security of the president, his direct relatives, as well as the Government House, the presidential residence of Olivos and other places of temporary residence provided by the head of state. He has "operational control" of three main groupings: Coordination, Logistics and Communications; Aviation, and Security and Intelligence. The latter is made up of the historic Regiment of Grenadiers on Horseback (as presidential escort) and the Federal Police in its Presidential Custody division (as personal custody of the president and his family when traveling by land). The Presidential Custody is based in the Government House and in the Olivos residence, whose perimeter and external sector are in charge of the Buenos Aires police.
Presidential Escort
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The Ayacucho Squadron of the Horse Grenadier Regiment, created in 1812 by General José de San Martín and established on July 15, 1907 by President José Figueroa Alcorta as an escort for the President of the Nation —until then it was the 8th Cavalry Regiment, which bore the name of General Mariano Necochea and the historical uniform of its Hunters who campaigned in the Andes—, performs the functions of escort and security of the President of the Nation in the Government House, custody of the remains of General Don José de San Martín in the mausoleum located in the Metropolitan Cathedral, the hoisting and lowering of the Official Flag of the Nation in the Plaza de Mayo and participate in all the ceremonial acts that take place in the Casa de Government and in the Metropolitan Cathedral. They wear the traditional uniform: knee-high black boots, spurs, a button-trimmed bib jacket, saber sheathed at one side, stiff collar, and the morion on their heads for the famous Presidential Escort. The grenadiers who guard the presidential entrance and those who guard the remains of San Martín must spend the two hours that their guard lasts still and firm, in a "statue" position.
Presidential aide-de-camp
The presidential aides-de-camp are three military assistants, one from each branch of the Armed Forces, a lieutenant colonel —Army—, a frigate captain —Navy and a vice commodore —Air Force—, who They are distinguished by the golden cord that they wear on top of the uniform, whose main mission is to accompany, protect and assist the president in all his official activities and represent him in the protocol events that he specifically entrusts to them. The first aide-de-camp recorded in Argentine history was Captain Juan María Escobar, who accompanied the president of the Primera Junta, Cornelio Saavedra.
The president himself is in charge of his appointment, from a list of candidates presented by the Ministry of Defense and drawn up by the Armed Forces themselves. In the fulfillment of their tasks, which they provide 24 hours a day, they coordinate the protocol agenda of the president -they must discreetly indicate the end of an activity or an audience to make way for the next one-, and they receive and process the instructions that he gives them. the mandatary. They are also the only ones -besides the private secretary- who have direct access to the presidential office, participate in the most reserved meetings and know in advance the appointments that the president will make, because they will have to locate the chosen official later. In official acts they carry the speech that the president will deliver in a folder, but also a copy in their pocket. In addition, they must be discreet and in a position to answer any questions from the president. The three aides-de-camp divide the work by week, leaving one on duty each week, and they must serve for two years. In the event that the president attends an activity in a military compound, the respective aide-de-camp accompanies him, and for state ceremonies all three attend.
Post-presidency
Once his term is over, each president can hold other political positions. Some presidents have had significant careers after leaving office. Such is the case of José Figueroa Alcorta who was president of the supreme court, being the only Argentine to preside over the three powers, that of Néstor Kirchner who was secretary general of UNASUR, and Cristina Fernández de Kirchner who currently serves as vice president of the Nation Vicente López y Planes (Buenos Aires in 1852) and Justo José de Urquiza (Entre Ríos between 1868 and 1870) exercised the governorship of their native provinces. Bartolomé Mitre, Julio Argentino Roca, Hipólito Yrigoyen, Marcelo Torcuato de Alvear, Arturo Frondizi, Juan Domingo Perón, Raúl Alfonsín and Néstor Kirchner exercised the leadership of their respective political parties and even ran for election again, some of them successfully re-elected as Roca in 1898 and Perón in 1973, and other presidents served in Congress after leaving the Casa Rosada such as Carlos Pellegrini and Carlos Menem.
After finishing their term, the ex-presidents have the lifetime protection of the Argentine Federal Police and receive a lifetime monthly allowance equivalent to the salary of a Supreme Court judge, according to Law 24,018. Upon death, the pension passes to the widow or widower who will collect 75% but will have to renounce all state pension. To enjoy these benefits, they must reside within Argentine territory. Arturo Illia and Raúl Alfonsín donated all their retirement years to charity.
After their deaths, the presidents receive tributes such as decreeing three days of national mourning, and the state funeral, and their families donate their belongings from the mandate to museums such as the Sarmiento Historical Museum and the Casa Rosada Museum (created from the former Museo Casa Rosada Presidential) whose collection is made up of personal objects, portraits, sculptures and documents of those who have held the position of "president" and objects referring to the social, economic and political context of each presidential stage, including recent presidencies.
- Former Living Presidents
María Estela Martínez de Perón
(1974-1976)
4 February 1931 (92 years)
Adolfo Rodríguez Saá
(2001)
25 July 1947 (75 years)
Interino
Eduardo Duhalde
(2002-2003)
5 October 1941 (81 years)
Interino
Cristina Fernández de Kirchner
(2007-2015)
19 February 1953 (69 years)
Mauritius Macri
(2015-2019)
8 February 1959 (64 years)
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Gallery of Presidential Busts
As a way of homage, every person who served as first magistracy is portrayed in Carrara marble and deposited in the Hall of Honor of the Casa Rosada along with all the Argentine presidents except the de facto ones, from Cornelio Saavedra and Bernardino Rivadavia to Nestor Kirchner. The missing busts are Vicente López y Planes, Juan Esteban Pedernera, Raúl Alberto Lastiri, María Estela Martínez de Perón, Carlos Menem, Fernando de la Rúa, Adolfo Rodríguez Saá, Eduardo Duhalde, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and Mauricio Macri.
The first busts of Rivadavia, Urquiza and Derqui exhibited in that room were made between 1883 and 1884, commissioned by President Julio Argentino Roca. The tradition of adding the bust of the first presidents after the end of their term of office dates back to that time, where the incoming president placed the bust of the outgoing president as a testimony of the country's history. These busts were initially located in the Presidential Enclosures on the first floor, but in 1973, during the de facto presidency of Alejandro Lanusse, it was decided to move them to the Hall of Honor and Decree 4022 was issued, which governs the placement of the Presidential Busts. indicating that this will be done after a period of no less than two presidential terms has elapsed, after the end of the corresponding mandate.
Subsequently, President Néstor Kirchner, under decree 1872/2006, established that only presidents who served by constitutional mandate form part of the hall. In the case of a re-elected president, it is computed from the end of his first term. In 2016, the then 28 busts were relocated chronologically, in addition to the sculptures of the de facto presidents José F. Uriburu, Pedro Pablo Ramírez, Edelmiro Julián Farrell, Eduardo Lonardi, Pedro Eugenio Aramburu and Juan Carlos Onganía were removed, and that of Miguel Juárez Celman, who was abandoned in a warehouse, was added.
Cornelio Saavedra
(1810)
Bernardino Rivadavia
(1826-1827)
Just José de Urquiza
(1854-1860)
Santiago Derqui
(1860-1861)
Bartolomé Mitre
(1862-1868)
Domingo F. Sarmiento
(1868-1874)
Nicolás Avellaneda
(1874-1880)
Julio Argentino Roca
(1880-1886, 1898-1904)
Miguel Juárez Celman
(1886-1890)
Carlos Pellegrini
(1890-1892)
Luis Sáenz Peña
(1892-1895)
José Evaristo Uriburu
(1895-1898)
Manuel Quintana
(1904-1906)
José Figueroa Alcorta
(1906-1910)
Roque Sáenz Peña
(1910-1914)
Victorino de la Plaza
(1914-1916)
Hippolyte Yrigoyen
(1916-1922, 1928-1930)
Marcelo T. de Alvear
(1922-1928)
Agustin P. Right.
(1932-1938)
Roberto M. Ortiz
(1938-1942)
Ramón Castillo
(1942-1943)
Juan Domingo Perón
(1946-1955, 1973-1974)
Arturo Frondizi
(1958-1962)
José María Guido
(1962-1963)
Arturo Illia
(1963-1966)
Hector J. Printora
(1973)
Raúl Alfonsín
(1983-1989)
Néstor Kirchner
(2003-2007)
Presidential Administrations
- Presidency of Alberto Fernández
- Presidency of Mauritius Macri
- Presidency of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner
- Presidency of Néstor Kirchner