The Return to Democracy in Argentina has been a tumultuous journey, marked by political transitions, economic crises, and human rights challenges. The post-Proceso era, under President Raúl Alfonsín, saw promises of justice for human rights violations, culminating in the Trial of the Juntas that sentenced the coup’s leaders. However, military pressure led to the enactment of the Full Stop and Due Obedience laws, which halted further prosecutions.
Following a period of economic decline and hyperinflation, Carlos Menem, a Peronist, took office in 1989. Menem implemented neoliberal policies that temporarily stabilized the economy but also pardoned the officers convicted during Alfonsín’s tenure, leading to controversies.
The 1994 Constitutional Amendment allowed Menem to be re-elected for a second term, but economic troubles resurfaced, and the Unión Cívica Radical (UCR) came to power in 1999 under Fernando de la Rúa.
De la Rúa maintained Menem’s economic plan despite worsening crisis, leading to social discontent and massive capital flight. The December 2001 riots forced De la Rúa to resign, and Eduardo Duhalde assumed the presidency, making significant economic changes that impacted many citizens’ savings.
Amid political unrest, Néstor Kirchner took office in 2003, pursuing a neo-Keynesian economic approach to overcome the crisis and restructure Argentina’s defaulted debt. Kirchner also focused on human rights issues, nullifying controversial laws and resuming legal prosecution of the Junta’s crimes.
Kirchner’s presidency set the stage for the rise of his wife, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who was elected in 2007 and re-elected in 2011. Her administration established new diplomatic ties with countries like Venezuela, Iran, and Cuba, leading to strains in relations with the United States and the United Kingdom. The Argentine economy experienced growth until 2011, but it later faced challenges.
In 2015, Mauricio Macri, a proponent of neoliberal austerity measures, won the presidential election. His term faced various economic challenges, including inflation, GDP shrinkage, and increased poverty.
However, he lost the 2019 re-election to Alberto Fernández, who assumed office in December 2019, just before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, posing further economic hardships for the nation.
In the 2021 midterm legislative elections, the ruling coalition lost its majority in Congress, leading to a tougher final two years for President Alberto Fernández. In April 2023, President Fernández announced that he would not seek re-election in the upcoming presidential election, marking another turning point in Argentina’s political landscape.
The Argentine journey back to democracy has been a complex and challenging one, filled with economic ups and downs, shifts in political ideologies, and efforts to address past human rights violations. As the nation looks toward the future, it continues to grapple with both domestic and global issues, striving for stability, prosperity, and lasting democratic governance.