| ARGENTINA Argentine Republic Republica Argentina Joined United Nations: 24 October 1945 Human Rights as assured by their constitution Click here Updated 05/17/10 |
| CAPITAL |
| POPULATION |
| CHIEF OF STATE |
| SELECTION PROCESS |
Buenos Aires
40,913,584 (July 2009 est.)
Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner
President since 10 December 2007
President since 10 December 2007
President and vice president elected on the same ticket by
popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term);
election last held 28 October 2007
Next scheduled election: 2011
popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term);
election last held 28 October 2007
Next scheduled election: 2011
HEAD OF GOVERNMENT
SELECTION PROCESS
According to the Argentine Constitution, the president is both
the chief of state and head of government
the chief of state and head of government
| DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS |
| ETHNIC GROUPS |
White (mostly Spanish and Italian) 97%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry), Amerindian, or other non-white groups
3%
3%
| RELIGIONS |
Nominally Roman Catholic 92% (less than 20% practicing), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 4%
| GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE |
Republic with 23 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 autonomous city (distrito federal). Legal system is a mixture of US
and West European legal systems; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Executive: President and Vice President elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election
last held 28 October 2007 (next election to be held in 2011)
Legislative: Bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate (72 seats; members are elected by direct
vote; presently one-third of the members elected every two years to serve six-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies (257 seats;
members are elected by direct vote; one-half of the members elected every two years to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - 28 June 2009 (next to be held in 2011); Chamber of Deputies - last held on 28 June 2009 (next to be held in
2011)
Judicial: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (the nine Supreme Court judges are appointed by the president with approval by the
Senate)
and West European legal systems; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Executive: President and Vice President elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election
last held 28 October 2007 (next election to be held in 2011)
Legislative: Bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate (72 seats; members are elected by direct
vote; presently one-third of the members elected every two years to serve six-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies (257 seats;
members are elected by direct vote; one-half of the members elected every two years to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - 28 June 2009 (next to be held in 2011); Chamber of Deputies - last held on 28 June 2009 (next to be held in
2011)
Judicial: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (the nine Supreme Court judges are appointed by the president with approval by the
Senate)
| LANGUAGES |
Spanish (official), English, Italian, German, French
| BRIEF HISTORY |
The area now known as Argentina was relatively sparsely populated until the period of European colonization. The Diaguita of
northwestern Argentina lived on the edges of the expanding Inca Empire; the Guaraní lived farther east. The Diaguita culture
developed between the 8th and 16th centuries in what are now the provinces of Salta, Catamarca, La Rioja and Tucumán in
northwestern Argentina, and in the Atacama and Coquimbo regions of northern Chile. Guaraní was one of the most important tribal
groups of South America, formerly living mostly between the Uruguay and lower Paraguay Rivers in what is now Paraguay, and the
Corrientes and Entre Rios Provinces of Argentina. Europeans arrived in the region with the 1502 voyage of Amerigo Vespucci.
Spanish navigator Juan Díaz de Solís visited the territory which is now Argentina in 1516. Spain established a permanent colony on
the site of Buenos Aires in 1580 as part of the Viceroyalty of Peru; initial settlement was primarily overland from Peru. The natural
port of the Río de la Plata estuary could not be used because all communications and commerce were meant to be made through
Lima's port, a condition that made contraband the usual way of commerce in cities such as Asunción, Buenos Aires, and
Montevideo. The Spanish raised the status of this region by establishing the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata (Virreinato del Río de
la Plata) in 1776. This short-lived viceroyalty comprised today's Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay, as well as much of present-day
Bolivia. During this era, Buenos Aires became a flourishing port only after the creation of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, as
the revenues from the Potosí, the increasing maritime activity in terms of goods rather than precious metals, the production of cattle
for exports of leather and other products, and other political reasons, made Buenos Aires to gradually become one of the most
important commercial centers of the region. However the viceroyalty was shortlived, due to lack of internal cohesion among the
many regions that constituted it and lack of Spanish support. It crashed when Napoleon successfully invaded Spain and overthrew
the Spanish monarchy. The failed British invasions of the Río de la Plata in 1806 and 1807 had also boosted the confidence of the
colonists, because they successfully stood up against one of the world powers. News of the French Revolution and the American
Revolutionary War brought liberal ideas to Latin America. After the French seized the power in Spain, Buenos Aires formed its
own junta on May 25, 1810 and invited the other provinces to join. However, the reluctance of some factions and the centralist
tendencies of the more radical activists delayed a formal declaration of independence. In the meantime, Paraguay made its own
declaration of independence in 1812. Military campaigns led by General José de San Martín between 1814 and 1817 made
independence increasingly a reality. Argentines revere San Martín, who campaigned in Argentina, Chile, and Peru, as the hero of
their national independence. On July 9, 1816, a Congress gathered at Tucumán (the Congress of Tucumán) finally issued a formal
declaration of independence from Spain. Bolivia declared itself independent in 1825, as did Uruguay in 1828 after the Argentina-
Brazil War. The United Kingdom officially recognized Argentinian independence in 1825, with the signing of a Treaty of Friendship,
Commerce, and Navigation on February 2; the British chargé d'affaires at Buenos Aires, Woodbine Parish, signed on behalf of his
country. After a revolution under General Justo José de Urquiza, a defecting federalist supported by Uruguay and Brazil, Argentine
national unity was at least nominally established, and a constitution promulgated in 1853. Two forces combined to create the
modern Argentine nation in the late 19th century: the introduction of modern agricultural techniques and integration of Argentina into
the world economy. Foreign investment and immigration from Europe aided this economic revolution. Investment, primarily British,
came in such fields as railroads and ports, but the foreign owners expected to retain controls. The migrants who worked to develop
Argentina's resources (especially the western pampas) came from throughout Europe, just as in the United States. These years of
prosperity ended with the Crash of 1929 and the ensuing worldwide economic crisis. The Argentine military forced aged Hipólito
Yrigoyen from power in 1930 and ushered in another decade of Conservative rule. The collapse of international trade led to an
industrial growth focused on import substitution, leading to a stronger economic independence (relatively, because oil production in
the country was dominated by foreign companies, mostly from the USA, something that Yrigoyen wanted to stop and one of the
reasons of the external support to the military coup). At the same time a climate of increasing political conflict arose, with
confrontation between right-wing fascists and leftist radicals, with military-oriented conservatives controlling the government. Thanks
to fraudulent polls, Roberto Ortiz was elected president in 1937 and took office the next year, but due to his fragile health he was
followed (de-facto in 1940, de-jure in 1942) by his vice-president Ramón Castillo. Argentina was officially neutral during most of
the Second World War; the public remained divided, however the military governments that ruled between the years 1943-1946
favoured the Axis Powers, although towards the end of the war Argentina entered on the Allied side. The military ousted
Argentina's constitutional government in 1943. Perón, then an army colonel, was one of the coup's leaders, and soon became the
government's dominant figure as Minister of Labor. Mass protests in 1945 led to Perón's victory in elections on February 20, 1946.
He aggressively pursued policies aimed at giving an economic and political voice to the working class and greatly expanded the
number of unionized workers. In 1947, Perón announced the first 5-year plan based on the growth of nationalized industries. He
helped establish the powerful General Confederation of Labor (Confederación General del Trabajo, CGT). Perón's dynamic wife,
Eva Perón, known as Evita, was a former actress from a working class background. Evita helped her husband develop strength
with labor and women's groups. Through her influence women obtained the right to vote in 1947. Her death from cancer in 1952
cost Perón a key political ally. In 1949 Perón pushed through a constitutional amendment to allow him to run for a second term,
which he won in 1952, but a military coup (Revolución Libertadora) led by Eduardo Lonardi deposed him in 1955. He was forced
to exile, eventually settling in Francoist Spain. Even in exile, he remained popular with the Argentine masses. Amidst escalating
terror from right and left alike, Perón decided to return and assume the presidency. On June 20, 1973, two million people waited
for him at Ezeiza airport. From Perón's speaking platform, camouflaged far-right gunmen, some of them from the Argentine
Anticommunist Alliance (Triple A, founded by José López Rega), fired on the masses, shooting at the Peronist Youth movement
and the Montoneros, killing at least thirteen and injuring more than three hundred (this became known as the Ezeiza massacre). The
costs of what became known as the "Dirty War" were high in terms of lives lost and basic human rights violated. About 1,500
deaths can be attributed to various guerrilla attacks and assassinations. The 1984 Commission on the Disappeared documented the
disappearance and probable death at the hands of the military regime of about 11,000 people, relatively few of whom were likely
Montonero or ERP cadres. About 900 more disappeared during the right-wing Peronist government prior to the coup. Human
rights groups estimate that over 30,000 persons became "disappeared" (i. e. arrested and secretly executed without trial) during the
1976–1983 period; still others went into exile. Few dared to speak out, except the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, mothers of the
dead and disappeared, who began holding vigils in April 1977, demanding (unsuccessfully) an accounting for these crimes. Serious
economic problems, mounting charges of corruption, public revulsion in the face of human rights abuses and, finally, the country's
1982 defeat by the UK in the Falklands War following Argentina's unsuccessful attempt to seize the Falkland Islands all combined
to discredit the Argentine military regime. Under strong public pressure, the junta lifted bans on political parties and gradually
restored basic political liberties. On October 30, 1983, Argentines went to the polls to choose a president; vice-president; and
national, provincial, and local officials in elections found by international observers to be fair and honest. The country returned to
constitutional rule after Raúl Alfonsín, candidate of the Radical Civic Union (Unión Cívica Radical, UCR), received 52% of the
popular vote for president. The constitution was reformed in 1994 as a result of the so-called Olivos Pact with the opposition
Radical Party. The overall economy declined drastically during December 2001. The resulting riots led to dozens of deaths.
President Duhalde faced a country in turmoil. His administration had to deal with a wave of protests (middle-class cacerolazos and
unemployed piqueteros), and did so with a relatively tolerant policy, intending to minimize violence. After a year, Duhalde deemed
his tasks fulfilled and, pressured by certain political factors, called for elections, which in April 2003 brought Néstor Kirchner to
power. Several pundits have pointed out that he appears to be part of a new group of leaders in Latin America who have a
sometimes testy to downright hostile relationship with Washington because of their opposition to what they see as destructive
neoliberal and free market policies. Speculation has emerged about a possible anti-U.S. coalition of Latin American countries
including Brazil under Lula, Cuba under Castro, Venezuela under Chávez, and Kirchner's government.
Source: Wikipedia: History of Argentina
northwestern Argentina lived on the edges of the expanding Inca Empire; the Guaraní lived farther east. The Diaguita culture
developed between the 8th and 16th centuries in what are now the provinces of Salta, Catamarca, La Rioja and Tucumán in
northwestern Argentina, and in the Atacama and Coquimbo regions of northern Chile. Guaraní was one of the most important tribal
groups of South America, formerly living mostly between the Uruguay and lower Paraguay Rivers in what is now Paraguay, and the
Corrientes and Entre Rios Provinces of Argentina. Europeans arrived in the region with the 1502 voyage of Amerigo Vespucci.
Spanish navigator Juan Díaz de Solís visited the territory which is now Argentina in 1516. Spain established a permanent colony on
the site of Buenos Aires in 1580 as part of the Viceroyalty of Peru; initial settlement was primarily overland from Peru. The natural
port of the Río de la Plata estuary could not be used because all communications and commerce were meant to be made through
Lima's port, a condition that made contraband the usual way of commerce in cities such as Asunción, Buenos Aires, and
Montevideo. The Spanish raised the status of this region by establishing the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata (Virreinato del Río de
la Plata) in 1776. This short-lived viceroyalty comprised today's Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay, as well as much of present-day
Bolivia. During this era, Buenos Aires became a flourishing port only after the creation of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, as
the revenues from the Potosí, the increasing maritime activity in terms of goods rather than precious metals, the production of cattle
for exports of leather and other products, and other political reasons, made Buenos Aires to gradually become one of the most
important commercial centers of the region. However the viceroyalty was shortlived, due to lack of internal cohesion among the
many regions that constituted it and lack of Spanish support. It crashed when Napoleon successfully invaded Spain and overthrew
the Spanish monarchy. The failed British invasions of the Río de la Plata in 1806 and 1807 had also boosted the confidence of the
colonists, because they successfully stood up against one of the world powers. News of the French Revolution and the American
Revolutionary War brought liberal ideas to Latin America. After the French seized the power in Spain, Buenos Aires formed its
own junta on May 25, 1810 and invited the other provinces to join. However, the reluctance of some factions and the centralist
tendencies of the more radical activists delayed a formal declaration of independence. In the meantime, Paraguay made its own
declaration of independence in 1812. Military campaigns led by General José de San Martín between 1814 and 1817 made
independence increasingly a reality. Argentines revere San Martín, who campaigned in Argentina, Chile, and Peru, as the hero of
their national independence. On July 9, 1816, a Congress gathered at Tucumán (the Congress of Tucumán) finally issued a formal
declaration of independence from Spain. Bolivia declared itself independent in 1825, as did Uruguay in 1828 after the Argentina-
Brazil War. The United Kingdom officially recognized Argentinian independence in 1825, with the signing of a Treaty of Friendship,
Commerce, and Navigation on February 2; the British chargé d'affaires at Buenos Aires, Woodbine Parish, signed on behalf of his
country. After a revolution under General Justo José de Urquiza, a defecting federalist supported by Uruguay and Brazil, Argentine
national unity was at least nominally established, and a constitution promulgated in 1853. Two forces combined to create the
modern Argentine nation in the late 19th century: the introduction of modern agricultural techniques and integration of Argentina into
the world economy. Foreign investment and immigration from Europe aided this economic revolution. Investment, primarily British,
came in such fields as railroads and ports, but the foreign owners expected to retain controls. The migrants who worked to develop
Argentina's resources (especially the western pampas) came from throughout Europe, just as in the United States. These years of
prosperity ended with the Crash of 1929 and the ensuing worldwide economic crisis. The Argentine military forced aged Hipólito
Yrigoyen from power in 1930 and ushered in another decade of Conservative rule. The collapse of international trade led to an
industrial growth focused on import substitution, leading to a stronger economic independence (relatively, because oil production in
the country was dominated by foreign companies, mostly from the USA, something that Yrigoyen wanted to stop and one of the
reasons of the external support to the military coup). At the same time a climate of increasing political conflict arose, with
confrontation between right-wing fascists and leftist radicals, with military-oriented conservatives controlling the government. Thanks
to fraudulent polls, Roberto Ortiz was elected president in 1937 and took office the next year, but due to his fragile health he was
followed (de-facto in 1940, de-jure in 1942) by his vice-president Ramón Castillo. Argentina was officially neutral during most of
the Second World War; the public remained divided, however the military governments that ruled between the years 1943-1946
favoured the Axis Powers, although towards the end of the war Argentina entered on the Allied side. The military ousted
Argentina's constitutional government in 1943. Perón, then an army colonel, was one of the coup's leaders, and soon became the
government's dominant figure as Minister of Labor. Mass protests in 1945 led to Perón's victory in elections on February 20, 1946.
He aggressively pursued policies aimed at giving an economic and political voice to the working class and greatly expanded the
number of unionized workers. In 1947, Perón announced the first 5-year plan based on the growth of nationalized industries. He
helped establish the powerful General Confederation of Labor (Confederación General del Trabajo, CGT). Perón's dynamic wife,
Eva Perón, known as Evita, was a former actress from a working class background. Evita helped her husband develop strength
with labor and women's groups. Through her influence women obtained the right to vote in 1947. Her death from cancer in 1952
cost Perón a key political ally. In 1949 Perón pushed through a constitutional amendment to allow him to run for a second term,
which he won in 1952, but a military coup (Revolución Libertadora) led by Eduardo Lonardi deposed him in 1955. He was forced
to exile, eventually settling in Francoist Spain. Even in exile, he remained popular with the Argentine masses. Amidst escalating
terror from right and left alike, Perón decided to return and assume the presidency. On June 20, 1973, two million people waited
for him at Ezeiza airport. From Perón's speaking platform, camouflaged far-right gunmen, some of them from the Argentine
Anticommunist Alliance (Triple A, founded by José López Rega), fired on the masses, shooting at the Peronist Youth movement
and the Montoneros, killing at least thirteen and injuring more than three hundred (this became known as the Ezeiza massacre). The
costs of what became known as the "Dirty War" were high in terms of lives lost and basic human rights violated. About 1,500
deaths can be attributed to various guerrilla attacks and assassinations. The 1984 Commission on the Disappeared documented the
disappearance and probable death at the hands of the military regime of about 11,000 people, relatively few of whom were likely
Montonero or ERP cadres. About 900 more disappeared during the right-wing Peronist government prior to the coup. Human
rights groups estimate that over 30,000 persons became "disappeared" (i. e. arrested and secretly executed without trial) during the
1976–1983 period; still others went into exile. Few dared to speak out, except the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, mothers of the
dead and disappeared, who began holding vigils in April 1977, demanding (unsuccessfully) an accounting for these crimes. Serious
economic problems, mounting charges of corruption, public revulsion in the face of human rights abuses and, finally, the country's
1982 defeat by the UK in the Falklands War following Argentina's unsuccessful attempt to seize the Falkland Islands all combined
to discredit the Argentine military regime. Under strong public pressure, the junta lifted bans on political parties and gradually
restored basic political liberties. On October 30, 1983, Argentines went to the polls to choose a president; vice-president; and
national, provincial, and local officials in elections found by international observers to be fair and honest. The country returned to
constitutional rule after Raúl Alfonsín, candidate of the Radical Civic Union (Unión Cívica Radical, UCR), received 52% of the
popular vote for president. The constitution was reformed in 1994 as a result of the so-called Olivos Pact with the opposition
Radical Party. The overall economy declined drastically during December 2001. The resulting riots led to dozens of deaths.
President Duhalde faced a country in turmoil. His administration had to deal with a wave of protests (middle-class cacerolazos and
unemployed piqueteros), and did so with a relatively tolerant policy, intending to minimize violence. After a year, Duhalde deemed
his tasks fulfilled and, pressured by certain political factors, called for elections, which in April 2003 brought Néstor Kirchner to
power. Several pundits have pointed out that he appears to be part of a new group of leaders in Latin America who have a
sometimes testy to downright hostile relationship with Washington because of their opposition to what they see as destructive
neoliberal and free market policies. Speculation has emerged about a possible anti-U.S. coalition of Latin American countries
including Brazil under Lula, Cuba under Castro, Venezuela under Chávez, and Kirchner's government.
Source: Wikipedia: History of Argentina
| ECONOMIC OVERVIEW |
Argentina benefits from rich natural resources, a highly literate population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a diversified
industrial base. Although one of the world's wealthiest countries 100 years ago, Argentina suffered during most of the 20th century
from recurring economic crises, persistent fiscal and current account deficits, high inflation, mounting external debt, and capital flight.
A severe depression, growing public and external indebtedness, and a bank run culminated in 2001 in the most serious economic,
social, and political crisis in the country's turbulent history. Interim President Adolfo RODRIGUEZ SAA declared a default - the
largest in history - on the government's foreign debt in December of that year, and abruptly resigned only a few days after taking
office. His successor, Eduardo DUHALDE, announced an end to the peso's decade-long 1-to-1 peg to the US dollar in early
2002. The economy bottomed out that year, with real GDP 18% smaller than in 1998 and almost 60% of Argentines under the
poverty line. Real GDP rebounded to grow by an average 8.5% annually over the subsequent six years, taking advantage of
previously idled industrial capacity and labor, an audacious debt restructuring and reduced debt burden, excellent international
financial conditions, and expansionary monetary and fiscal policies. Inflation also increased, however, during the administration of
President Nestor KIRCHNER, which responded with price restraints on businesses, as well as export taxes and restraints, and
beginning in early 2007, with understating inflation data. Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER succeeded her husband as
President in late 2007, and the rapid economic growth of previous years began to slow sharply the following year as government
policies held back exports and the world economy fell into recession. Her government nationalized private pension funds in late
2008 in an attempt to bolster government coffers, but the move also adversely affected private investment spending.
Source: CIA World Factbook (select Argentina)
industrial base. Although one of the world's wealthiest countries 100 years ago, Argentina suffered during most of the 20th century
from recurring economic crises, persistent fiscal and current account deficits, high inflation, mounting external debt, and capital flight.
A severe depression, growing public and external indebtedness, and a bank run culminated in 2001 in the most serious economic,
social, and political crisis in the country's turbulent history. Interim President Adolfo RODRIGUEZ SAA declared a default - the
largest in history - on the government's foreign debt in December of that year, and abruptly resigned only a few days after taking
office. His successor, Eduardo DUHALDE, announced an end to the peso's decade-long 1-to-1 peg to the US dollar in early
2002. The economy bottomed out that year, with real GDP 18% smaller than in 1998 and almost 60% of Argentines under the
poverty line. Real GDP rebounded to grow by an average 8.5% annually over the subsequent six years, taking advantage of
previously idled industrial capacity and labor, an audacious debt restructuring and reduced debt burden, excellent international
financial conditions, and expansionary monetary and fiscal policies. Inflation also increased, however, during the administration of
President Nestor KIRCHNER, which responded with price restraints on businesses, as well as export taxes and restraints, and
beginning in early 2007, with understating inflation data. Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER succeeded her husband as
President in late 2007, and the rapid economic growth of previous years began to slow sharply the following year as government
policies held back exports and the world economy fell into recession. Her government nationalized private pension funds in late
2008 in an attempt to bolster government coffers, but the move also adversely affected private investment spending.
Source: CIA World Factbook (select Argentina)
| POLITICAL CLIMATE |
Argentina benefits from rich natural resources, a highly literate population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a diversified
industrial base. Although one of the world's wealthiest countries 100 years ago, Argentina suffered during most of the 20th century
from recurring economic crises, persistent fiscal and current account deficits, high inflation, mounting external debt, and capital flight.
A severe depression, growing public and external indebtedness, and a bank run culminated in 2001 in the most serious economic,
social, and political crisis in the country's turbulent history. Interim President Adolfo RODRIGUEZ SAA declared a default - the
largest in history - on the government's foreign debt in December of that year, and abruptly resigned only a few days after taking
office. His successor, Eduardo DUHALDE, announced an end to the peso's decade-long 1-to-1 peg to the US dollar in early
2002. The economy bottomed out that year, with real GDP 18% smaller than in 1998 and almost 60% of Argentines under the
poverty line. Real GDP rebounded to grow by an average 9% annually over the subsequent five years, taking advantage of
previously idled industrial capacity and labor, an audacious debt restructuring and reduced debt burden, excellent international
financial conditions, and expansionary monetary and fiscal policies. Inflation also increased, however, during the administration of
President Nestor KIRCHNER, which responded with price restraints on businesses, as well as export taxes and restraints, and
beginning in early 2007, with understating inflation data. Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER succeeded her husband as
President in late 2007, but was stymied in her efforts to hike export taxes still further by protesting farmers. Her government
nationalized private pension funds in late 2008, which bolstered government coffers, but failed to assuage investors' concerns about
the direction of economic policy.
Source: Wikipedia: Politics of Argentina
industrial base. Although one of the world's wealthiest countries 100 years ago, Argentina suffered during most of the 20th century
from recurring economic crises, persistent fiscal and current account deficits, high inflation, mounting external debt, and capital flight.
A severe depression, growing public and external indebtedness, and a bank run culminated in 2001 in the most serious economic,
social, and political crisis in the country's turbulent history. Interim President Adolfo RODRIGUEZ SAA declared a default - the
largest in history - on the government's foreign debt in December of that year, and abruptly resigned only a few days after taking
office. His successor, Eduardo DUHALDE, announced an end to the peso's decade-long 1-to-1 peg to the US dollar in early
2002. The economy bottomed out that year, with real GDP 18% smaller than in 1998 and almost 60% of Argentines under the
poverty line. Real GDP rebounded to grow by an average 9% annually over the subsequent five years, taking advantage of
previously idled industrial capacity and labor, an audacious debt restructuring and reduced debt burden, excellent international
financial conditions, and expansionary monetary and fiscal policies. Inflation also increased, however, during the administration of
President Nestor KIRCHNER, which responded with price restraints on businesses, as well as export taxes and restraints, and
beginning in early 2007, with understating inflation data. Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER succeeded her husband as
President in late 2007, but was stymied in her efforts to hike export taxes still further by protesting farmers. Her government
nationalized private pension funds in late 2008, which bolstered government coffers, but failed to assuage investors' concerns about
the direction of economic policy.
Source: Wikipedia: Politics of Argentina
| INTERNATIONAL DISPUTES |
Argentina continues to assert its claims to the UK-administered Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), South Georgia, and the South
Sandwich Islands in its constitution, forcibly occupying the Falklands in 1982, but in 1995 agreed no longer to seek settlement by
force; territorial claim in Antarctica partially overlaps UK and Chilean claims; unruly region at convergence of
Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and illegal narcotics trafficking, and fundraising for
extremist organizations; uncontested dispute between Brazil and Uruguay over Braziliera/Brasiliera Island in the Quarai/Cuareim
River leaves the tripoint with Argentina in question; in 2006, Argentina went to the ICJ to protest, on environmental grounds, the
construction of two pulp mills in Uruguay on the Uruguay River, which forms the boundary; both parties presented their pleadings in
2007 with Argentina's reply in January and Uruguay's rejoinder in July 2008; the joint boundary commission, established by Chile
and Argentina in 2001 has yet to map and demarcate the delimited boundary in the inhospitable Andean Southern Ice Field (Campo
de Hielo Sur)
Sandwich Islands in its constitution, forcibly occupying the Falklands in 1982, but in 1995 agreed no longer to seek settlement by
force; territorial claim in Antarctica partially overlaps UK and Chilean claims; unruly region at convergence of
Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and illegal narcotics trafficking, and fundraising for
extremist organizations; uncontested dispute between Brazil and Uruguay over Braziliera/Brasiliera Island in the Quarai/Cuareim
River leaves the tripoint with Argentina in question; in 2006, Argentina went to the ICJ to protest, on environmental grounds, the
construction of two pulp mills in Uruguay on the Uruguay River, which forms the boundary; both parties presented their pleadings in
2007 with Argentina's reply in January and Uruguay's rejoinder in July 2008; the joint boundary commission, established by Chile
and Argentina in 2001 has yet to map and demarcate the delimited boundary in the inhospitable Andean Southern Ice Field (Campo
de Hielo Sur)
| TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS |
Current situation: Argentina is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes
of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; most victims are trafficked within the country, from rural to urban areas; child
sex tourism is a problem; foreign women and children, primarily from Paraguay, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic, are trafficked
to Argentina for commercial sexual exploitation; Argentine women and girls are also trafficked to neighboring countries, Mexico,
and Western Europe for sexual exploitation; a significant number of Bolivians, Peruvians, and Paraguayans are trafficked into the
country for forced labor in sweatshops, agriculture, and as domestic servants
Tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - despite some progress, Argentina remains on the Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year
for its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking, particularly in terms of providing adequate
assistance to victims and curbing official complicity with trafficking activity, especially on the provincial and local levels; the
Argentine Congress has demonstrated progress by enacting much-needed and first-ever federal anti-trafficking legislation (2009)
of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; most victims are trafficked within the country, from rural to urban areas; child
sex tourism is a problem; foreign women and children, primarily from Paraguay, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic, are trafficked
to Argentina for commercial sexual exploitation; Argentine women and girls are also trafficked to neighboring countries, Mexico,
and Western Europe for sexual exploitation; a significant number of Bolivians, Peruvians, and Paraguayans are trafficked into the
country for forced labor in sweatshops, agriculture, and as domestic servants
Tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - despite some progress, Argentina remains on the Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year
for its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking, particularly in terms of providing adequate
assistance to victims and curbing official complicity with trafficking activity, especially on the provincial and local levels; the
Argentine Congress has demonstrated progress by enacting much-needed and first-ever federal anti-trafficking legislation (2009)
| ILLICIT DRUGS |
A transshipment country for cocaine headed for Europe, heroin headed for the US, and ephedrine and pseudoephedrine headed
for Mexico; some money-laundering activity, especially in the Tri-Border Area; law enforcement corruption; a source for
precursor chemicals; increasing domestic consumption of drugs in urban centers, especially cocaine base and synthetic drugs
(2008)
for Mexico; some money-laundering activity, especially in the Tri-Border Area; law enforcement corruption; a source for
precursor chemicals; increasing domestic consumption of drugs in urban centers, especially cocaine base and synthetic drugs
(2008)
| HUMAN RIGHTS STATEMENTS, ANALYSIS AND CRITIQUES |
2009 Human Rights Reports: Argentina
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2009 Country Report on Human Rights Practices
March 11, 2010
Argentina is a federal constitutional republic with a population of approximately 40.9 million. Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner won
the presidency in October 2007 in multiparty elections that media and various nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) described as
generally free and fair. Civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the security forces, although there were some
instances of abuse.
While the government generally respected the human rights of its citizens, the following human rights problems were reported:
During the year the courts convicted 34 perpetrators of human rights abuses committed during the 1976‑83 military dictatorship
and continued trials that were suspended in 1989‑90 when the government pardoned such perpetrators.
Click here to read more »
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2009 Country Report on Human Rights Practices
March 11, 2010
Argentina is a federal constitutional republic with a population of approximately 40.9 million. Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner won
the presidency in October 2007 in multiparty elections that media and various nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) described as
generally free and fair. Civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the security forces, although there were some
instances of abuse.
While the government generally respected the human rights of its citizens, the following human rights problems were reported:
- killings and use of excessive force by police or security forces;
- police and prison guard abuse and alleged torture of suspects and prisoners;
- overcrowded and substandard prison and jail conditions;
- occasional arbitrary arrest and detention;
- prolonged pretrial detention;
- continued weak judicial independence;
- official corruption;
- domestic violence against women;
- child abuse;
- trafficking in persons for sexual and labor exploitation, primarily within the country;
- child labor.
During the year the courts convicted 34 perpetrators of human rights abuses committed during the 1976‑83 military dictatorship
and continued trials that were suspended in 1989‑90 when the government pardoned such perpetrators.
Click here to read more »
5 January 2009
HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL
Tenth session
Agenda item 3
PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF ALL HUMAN RIGHTS, CIVIL, POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND
CULTURAL RIGHTS, INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO DEVELOPMENT
Report of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance*
Addendum
MISSION TO ARGENTINA**
Summary
At the invitation of the Government of Argentina, the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances visited the
country from 21 to 24 July 2008. The Group was represented by its Chairperson-Rapporteur, Mr. Santiago Corcuera, and Group
member Mr. Saied Rajaie Khorasani.
The Working Group visited the cities of Buenos Aires and Córdoba. It held meetings with the Minister of Justice, Security and
Human Rights, the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, the President of the Supreme Court, the Office of the Secretary for Human
Rights, the Office of the Public Prosecutor, the Unit in the Office of the Public Prosecutor for Coordination and Follow-up in cases
involving human rights violations during the dictatorship, the judges responsible for the ESMA clandestine detention centre case, the
Chairman of the National Senate Committee on Human Rights and Guarantees, the Chairman of the National Assembly Committee
on Human Rights and Guarantees, and various representatives of that Committee.
During its visit to Córdoba, the Working Group had meetings with the Office of the Secretary for Human Rights in the province of
Córdoba, the Directors of the Witness Protection Programme for the province of Córdoba and the prosecutor responsible for
human rights cases in the province of Córdoba. It also had a meeting with the National Ombudsman. In both cities the Working
Group met members of civil society organizations and representatives of associations of family members of victims of enforced
disappearance. It visited the former ESMA detention centre in Buenos Aires and the former D2 detention centre in la Perla, near
Córdoba. The Working Group held a press conference at the conclusion of its visit.
Click here to read more »
HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL
Tenth session
Agenda item 3
PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF ALL HUMAN RIGHTS, CIVIL, POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND
CULTURAL RIGHTS, INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO DEVELOPMENT
Report of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance*
Addendum
MISSION TO ARGENTINA**
Summary
At the invitation of the Government of Argentina, the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances visited the
country from 21 to 24 July 2008. The Group was represented by its Chairperson-Rapporteur, Mr. Santiago Corcuera, and Group
member Mr. Saied Rajaie Khorasani.
The Working Group visited the cities of Buenos Aires and Córdoba. It held meetings with the Minister of Justice, Security and
Human Rights, the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, the President of the Supreme Court, the Office of the Secretary for Human
Rights, the Office of the Public Prosecutor, the Unit in the Office of the Public Prosecutor for Coordination and Follow-up in cases
involving human rights violations during the dictatorship, the judges responsible for the ESMA clandestine detention centre case, the
Chairman of the National Senate Committee on Human Rights and Guarantees, the Chairman of the National Assembly Committee
on Human Rights and Guarantees, and various representatives of that Committee.
During its visit to Córdoba, the Working Group had meetings with the Office of the Secretary for Human Rights in the province of
Córdoba, the Directors of the Witness Protection Programme for the province of Córdoba and the prosecutor responsible for
human rights cases in the province of Córdoba. It also had a meeting with the National Ombudsman. In both cities the Working
Group met members of civil society organizations and representatives of associations of family members of victims of enforced
disappearance. It visited the former ESMA detention centre in Buenos Aires and the former D2 detention centre in la Perla, near
Córdoba. The Working Group held a press conference at the conclusion of its visit.
Click here to read more »
April 09, 2009
Argentina's Permanently Polymorphous Peronists
In late March, Argentina’s Congress approved President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner’s proposal to change the date of the
country’s congressional elections from October 25 to June 28. The president has stated that moving up the date will allow
Argentines to avoid the unnecessary obstacles, political drama, and partisanship that normally accompany elections and instead
focus more immediately on the economic crisis at hand. The opposition claims otherwise. More specifically, they have identified
this move as a thinly veiled attempt to consolidate power before the economic distress and general discontent now gripping the
country cause the bottom to fall out of the Kirchner regime.
Regardless of her true motives, the final outcome of the president’s actions could have far-reaching consequences. Congressional
candidates will lose four months of valuable campaign time as a result of the ruling, which will decrease the chances of a
significant opposition victory. This comes at a time when opposition to the president has been steadily mounting. Recent polls
reveal that less than 30% of Argentines approve of the president’s policies. The president has been engaged in a heated battle with
Argentina’s agricultural sector ever since she attempted to increase export taxes on farm products in March of 2008. This struggle,
along with growing inflation and the general economic slow-down, have served to decrease her popularity.
If the date change brings about a favorable result for the president, Mrs. Kirchner and her allies at the congressional level may be
able retain their hold over Argentine politics for quite some while. As the New York Times explains, the upcoming congressional
elections are important because they will serve as a referendum of sorts on Fernandez de Kirchner’s presidency. These elections
will strongly influence her party’s decision regarding her nomination for the 2011 presidential elections.
Where governance is concerned, this turn of events is disconcerting. Most notably, as a result of the date change, the pluralism and
competition deficit could take yet another hit in a country that has largely been dominated by a sole party, the Peronist party, since
the end of the 1940s. One of the more interesting twists to this story, however, is that the most powerful opposition members
belong to the same umbrella party as the president: the Peronist Party. In fact, Peronist congressmen Felipe Sola and Francisco de
Narvaez have expressed their desire to unite the Peronist party against the president.
It is this overweening Peronist dominance that may be the biggest threat to good governance in the country. Argentines frequently
express their disapproval of the Peronist party and its stronghold over the country. Most recently, political analysts have pointed to
the passionate public response to the death of former President Raul Alfonsin, a member of the Radical Civic Union party who
presided over Argentina’s democratic transition in 1983, as evidence of the public’s weariness of unsatisfactory Peronist leaders
and their role in bringing about the debilitation of their country’s democratic institutions.
Click here to read more »
Argentina's Permanently Polymorphous Peronists
In late March, Argentina’s Congress approved President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner’s proposal to change the date of the
country’s congressional elections from October 25 to June 28. The president has stated that moving up the date will allow
Argentines to avoid the unnecessary obstacles, political drama, and partisanship that normally accompany elections and instead
focus more immediately on the economic crisis at hand. The opposition claims otherwise. More specifically, they have identified
this move as a thinly veiled attempt to consolidate power before the economic distress and general discontent now gripping the
country cause the bottom to fall out of the Kirchner regime.
Regardless of her true motives, the final outcome of the president’s actions could have far-reaching consequences. Congressional
candidates will lose four months of valuable campaign time as a result of the ruling, which will decrease the chances of a
significant opposition victory. This comes at a time when opposition to the president has been steadily mounting. Recent polls
reveal that less than 30% of Argentines approve of the president’s policies. The president has been engaged in a heated battle with
Argentina’s agricultural sector ever since she attempted to increase export taxes on farm products in March of 2008. This struggle,
along with growing inflation and the general economic slow-down, have served to decrease her popularity.
If the date change brings about a favorable result for the president, Mrs. Kirchner and her allies at the congressional level may be
able retain their hold over Argentine politics for quite some while. As the New York Times explains, the upcoming congressional
elections are important because they will serve as a referendum of sorts on Fernandez de Kirchner’s presidency. These elections
will strongly influence her party’s decision regarding her nomination for the 2011 presidential elections.
Where governance is concerned, this turn of events is disconcerting. Most notably, as a result of the date change, the pluralism and
competition deficit could take yet another hit in a country that has largely been dominated by a sole party, the Peronist party, since
the end of the 1940s. One of the more interesting twists to this story, however, is that the most powerful opposition members
belong to the same umbrella party as the president: the Peronist Party. In fact, Peronist congressmen Felipe Sola and Francisco de
Narvaez have expressed their desire to unite the Peronist party against the president.
It is this overweening Peronist dominance that may be the biggest threat to good governance in the country. Argentines frequently
express their disapproval of the Peronist party and its stronghold over the country. Most recently, political analysts have pointed to
the passionate public response to the death of former President Raul Alfonsin, a member of the Radical Civic Union party who
presided over Argentina’s democratic transition in 1983, as evidence of the public’s weariness of unsatisfactory Peronist leaders
and their role in bringing about the debilitation of their country’s democratic institutions.
Click here to read more »
Former Argentine president jailed for crimes against humanity
21 April 2010
Amnesty International has welcomed the prison sentence handed to a former Argentine president responsible for crimes against
humanity in the 1970s.
Reynaldo Bignone, a former military general, was found guilty of torture, murder and several kidnappings that occurred while he
was commander of the notorious Campo de Mayo detention centre between 1976 and 1978.
The 82-year-old, who was appointed de facto president of Argentina by the military junta in 1982, has been sentenced to 25 years
in jail. Five other military officers were also given long jail sentences by a court in Buenos Aires province on Wednesday.
"This judgement represents another important step in the fight against impunity that has, until recently, been enjoyed by the leaders
of Argentina's military regime - now infamous for their role in human rights abuses,” said Guadalupe Marengo, Amnesty
International's Americas Deputy Director.
Hundreds of people, including relatives of the victims, testified at the trial, which started in November 2009.
Former military officers Santiago Omar Riveros and Fernando Exequiel Verplaetsen were also sentenced to 25 years in prison,
while three others were sentenced to between 17 and 20- years for human rights violations. A former police officer was acquitted.
Campo de Mayo was one of the largest clandestine camps in operation under Argentina's military regime (1976 to 1983). It is
estimated that 5,000 prisoners were held in the camp.
"Victims of torture and enforced disappearance in Campo de Mayo have waited too long for justice. These sentences send an
important message to Argentina and other countries that human rights violations will not go unpunished," said Guadalupe Marengo.
Bignone was the last of four de facto military presidents in Argentina during the last military regime, ruling in 1982 and 1983.
He is known for granting amnesty to human rights perpetrators and for ordering the destruction of documents about the torture and
enforced disappearances of political opponents.
During Argentina’s military government thousands of people were forcibly disappeared, unlawfully executed and tortured.
The amnesty laws in Argentina that had protected the security forces from prosecution were declared null and void in June 2005.
Click here to read more »
21 April 2010
Amnesty International has welcomed the prison sentence handed to a former Argentine president responsible for crimes against
humanity in the 1970s.
Reynaldo Bignone, a former military general, was found guilty of torture, murder and several kidnappings that occurred while he
was commander of the notorious Campo de Mayo detention centre between 1976 and 1978.
The 82-year-old, who was appointed de facto president of Argentina by the military junta in 1982, has been sentenced to 25 years
in jail. Five other military officers were also given long jail sentences by a court in Buenos Aires province on Wednesday.
"This judgement represents another important step in the fight against impunity that has, until recently, been enjoyed by the leaders
of Argentina's military regime - now infamous for their role in human rights abuses,” said Guadalupe Marengo, Amnesty
International's Americas Deputy Director.
Hundreds of people, including relatives of the victims, testified at the trial, which started in November 2009.
Former military officers Santiago Omar Riveros and Fernando Exequiel Verplaetsen were also sentenced to 25 years in prison,
while three others were sentenced to between 17 and 20- years for human rights violations. A former police officer was acquitted.
Campo de Mayo was one of the largest clandestine camps in operation under Argentina's military regime (1976 to 1983). It is
estimated that 5,000 prisoners were held in the camp.
"Victims of torture and enforced disappearance in Campo de Mayo have waited too long for justice. These sentences send an
important message to Argentina and other countries that human rights violations will not go unpunished," said Guadalupe Marengo.
Bignone was the last of four de facto military presidents in Argentina during the last military regime, ruling in 1982 and 1983.
He is known for granting amnesty to human rights perpetrators and for ordering the destruction of documents about the torture and
enforced disappearances of political opponents.
During Argentina’s military government thousands of people were forcibly disappeared, unlawfully executed and tortured.
The amnesty laws in Argentina that had protected the security forces from prosecution were declared null and void in June 2005.
Click here to read more »
Argentina
Events of 2009
Argentina has made significant progress in prosecuting military and police personnel responsible for "disappearances," killings, and
torture during the country's "dirty war." Despite delays in judicial proceedings, 44 officials have been convicted for committing
abuses since Congress annulled the amnesty laws of the 1980s.
An important challenge that Argentina faces today is modifying its laws to comply with its international obligations to protect and
promote freedom of expression. In 2009 Congress approved legislative proposals submitted by President Cristina Fernandez de
Kirchner to decriminalize defamation, and to regulate TV and radio. But there is no access to information law or federal-level
guidelines on allocating official advertising.
Continuing human rights problems in Argentina include deplorable prison conditions, and arbitrary restrictions on women's
reproductive rights.
Confronting Past Abuses
Several important cases of abuses committed during Argentina's last military dictatorship (1976-83) were reopened in 2003 after
Congress annulled the 1986 "Full Stop" law, which forced a halt to the prosecution of all such cases, and the 1987 "Due
Obedience" law, which granted automatic immunity in such cases to all members of the military, except those in positions of
command. In June 2005 the Supreme Court declared the laws unconstitutional. In addition, since 2005 several federal judges have
struck down pardons decreed by then-president Carlos Menem in 1989-90 of former officials convicted or facing trial for human
rights violations.
As of July 2009, 588 people faced charges for these crimes. Since the amnesty laws were annulled, 44 people have been convicted.
In March 2009, for example, a court in San Luis sentenced two former military personnel and three former policemen to life
imprisonment for killing a woman, torturing a man, and two enforced disappearances in 1976. In July 2009 two former prison
officers were each sentenced in Misiones to over 20 years in prison for torturing a political prisoner in 1976.
Delay in judicial processes undermines accountability, however. According to the Center for Legal and Social Studies, 193 people
implicated in crimes committed during the dictatorship died before being brought to justice. An important reason for the delay was
that several complex cases were on the docket to be heard by the same tribunal in the city of Buenos Aires. In March 2009 some
cases were redistributed to other tribunals.
Click here to read more »
Events of 2009
Argentina has made significant progress in prosecuting military and police personnel responsible for "disappearances," killings, and
torture during the country's "dirty war." Despite delays in judicial proceedings, 44 officials have been convicted for committing
abuses since Congress annulled the amnesty laws of the 1980s.
An important challenge that Argentina faces today is modifying its laws to comply with its international obligations to protect and
promote freedom of expression. In 2009 Congress approved legislative proposals submitted by President Cristina Fernandez de
Kirchner to decriminalize defamation, and to regulate TV and radio. But there is no access to information law or federal-level
guidelines on allocating official advertising.
Continuing human rights problems in Argentina include deplorable prison conditions, and arbitrary restrictions on women's
reproductive rights.
Confronting Past Abuses
Several important cases of abuses committed during Argentina's last military dictatorship (1976-83) were reopened in 2003 after
Congress annulled the 1986 "Full Stop" law, which forced a halt to the prosecution of all such cases, and the 1987 "Due
Obedience" law, which granted automatic immunity in such cases to all members of the military, except those in positions of
command. In June 2005 the Supreme Court declared the laws unconstitutional. In addition, since 2005 several federal judges have
struck down pardons decreed by then-president Carlos Menem in 1989-90 of former officials convicted or facing trial for human
rights violations.
As of July 2009, 588 people faced charges for these crimes. Since the amnesty laws were annulled, 44 people have been convicted.
In March 2009, for example, a court in San Luis sentenced two former military personnel and three former policemen to life
imprisonment for killing a woman, torturing a man, and two enforced disappearances in 1976. In July 2009 two former prison
officers were each sentenced in Misiones to over 20 years in prison for torturing a political prisoner in 1976.
Delay in judicial processes undermines accountability, however. According to the Center for Legal and Social Studies, 193 people
implicated in crimes committed during the dictatorship died before being brought to justice. An important reason for the delay was
that several complex cases were on the docket to be heard by the same tribunal in the city of Buenos Aires. In March 2009 some
cases were redistributed to other tribunals.
Click here to read more »
October 5, 2009: Women and peace and security
Mr. President,
Allow me to begin by thanking the Presidency of Vietnam for the organization of this open debate, which shows the constant
commitment of the Security Council to an efficient follow-up and implementation of resolution 1325, at almost ten years of its
adoption. We wish to thank the Secretary General for the introduction of his Report S-2009-465 and his recommendations, which
we share, in particular the possibility to establish oversight and accountability mechanisms for the implementation of the resolution
at the national, regional and international levels.
Argentina is one of the countries that have moved forward in the development of an Implementation Plan for resolution 1325 within
its Defense sector. At the same time, Argentina is working in the drafting of a National Plan integrating all the areas included in the
resolution, and has incorporates specific policies in the implementation of resolution 1820 on sexual violence against women in
situations of armed conflict.
The participation of women in post conflict peace-building processes can be analyzed both from the perspective of the UN system
and from the perspective of the State. In the first case, it is key to incorporate the question of gender from the planning stage of the
activities to be carried out on the field, and to maintain it in all stages of the rebuilding and peace building. To that end, it is
necessary to improve the information systems from the diverse agencies and programmes of the UN, to reach a clear
understanding of the situation of women in a given place. At the same time, the collaboration of Member States is required in order
to increase the participation of women in the field, either as civilian, military or police personnel.
From the perspective of the State, it is important to incorporate in the national implementation plans for resolution 1325/2000, the
role of women in post-conflict rebuilding activities. This is linked not only to the deployment of a larger number of women in the
field, but to the recognition of the effective role women can perform in all stages of the process, including as mediators in peace
processes.
The empowering of women is a fundamental element to increase their participation in rebuilding. The new institutions must
contemplate the interests and the needs of women, and ensure their access to all instances that guarantee the full enjoyment of their
rights while, at the same time, it is necessary to invest in the education and training of these women so they can take a place in the
newly-created institutions. This is particularly important in the case of political parties, electoral processes, the judicial system and
institutions in charge of security.
Click here to read more »
Mr. President,
Allow me to begin by thanking the Presidency of Vietnam for the organization of this open debate, which shows the constant
commitment of the Security Council to an efficient follow-up and implementation of resolution 1325, at almost ten years of its
adoption. We wish to thank the Secretary General for the introduction of his Report S-2009-465 and his recommendations, which
we share, in particular the possibility to establish oversight and accountability mechanisms for the implementation of the resolution
at the national, regional and international levels.
Argentina is one of the countries that have moved forward in the development of an Implementation Plan for resolution 1325 within
its Defense sector. At the same time, Argentina is working in the drafting of a National Plan integrating all the areas included in the
resolution, and has incorporates specific policies in the implementation of resolution 1820 on sexual violence against women in
situations of armed conflict.
The participation of women in post conflict peace-building processes can be analyzed both from the perspective of the UN system
and from the perspective of the State. In the first case, it is key to incorporate the question of gender from the planning stage of the
activities to be carried out on the field, and to maintain it in all stages of the rebuilding and peace building. To that end, it is
necessary to improve the information systems from the diverse agencies and programmes of the UN, to reach a clear
understanding of the situation of women in a given place. At the same time, the collaboration of Member States is required in order
to increase the participation of women in the field, either as civilian, military or police personnel.
From the perspective of the State, it is important to incorporate in the national implementation plans for resolution 1325/2000, the
role of women in post-conflict rebuilding activities. This is linked not only to the deployment of a larger number of women in the
field, but to the recognition of the effective role women can perform in all stages of the process, including as mediators in peace
processes.
The empowering of women is a fundamental element to increase their participation in rebuilding. The new institutions must
contemplate the interests and the needs of women, and ensure their access to all instances that guarantee the full enjoyment of their
rights while, at the same time, it is necessary to invest in the education and training of these women so they can take a place in the
newly-created institutions. This is particularly important in the case of political parties, electoral processes, the judicial system and
institutions in charge of security.
Click here to read more »
TRANSLATED FROM SPANISH BY GOOGLE TRANSLATE
National Level Ecology
"We must transform the Court ruling on public policy for the environment"
14/05/2010
"From the Court's ruling opens the opportunity to improve environmental management of the watershed," said Deputy I in charge
of the National Ombudsman, Anselmo Sella.
On the second day of the National Seminar "The Defenders of the People and the Media in the Protection of Human Rights and the
Environment", addressed various environmental issues today, and one of the panels dealt with the problem of Matanza - Creek, with
its varied and conflicting range of issues within it.
One of the exhibitors at the disciplinary board, the judge of the Federal Court of Quilmes, in charge of execution of sentence of the
Court, Dr. Luis Armella, expressed his conviction that the Sanitation Plan Cuenca-beyond its complex difficulties, will be brought
forward, because looking after the environment is to protect human beings in terms of their integrity and dignity. He also pointed
out the intricate web of interests surrounding the basin, issues that can not be measured with any index, but which exist in practice.
"We must break with economic interests, political patronage, funds management, internal, etc., And protect the institutions of
Acumen so you can develop a sustained work of sanitation and repair of the Basin."
The head of the Environment Area of the National Ombudsman, Cristina Maiztegui, said "from the decision of the Court have the
opportunity to achieve environmental policy for the entire watershed and improve environmental management of industries and the
quality of life of the settlers, among other things. However, we strongly concerned about the concept of repairing it can happen
that within 10 years we have met the requirements, we did all the homework, but the atmosphere deteriorated further because it is
not guaranteed prevention and appropriate action. This is something we can not lose sight. "
For its part, the Chairman of the Board of Acumen, Gustavo Vialluría, said that the agency is complying with the requirements of
the decision as to its autocratic nature and budget management. "We are detached from the Ministry of Environment and Us
interjuridictional body." It highlighted the progress made (eg, collection of large amounts of waste on the banks of the river) and the
actions that are intended to implement in the short term (eg, revert to the 1200 cleanup plan through the cooperative plan "Argentina
works "). "We know that's not enough, and receive ongoing pressures and demands, but can not be remedied overnight of pollution
of 200 years."
Click here to read more »
National Level Ecology
"We must transform the Court ruling on public policy for the environment"
14/05/2010
"From the Court's ruling opens the opportunity to improve environmental management of the watershed," said Deputy I in charge
of the National Ombudsman, Anselmo Sella.
On the second day of the National Seminar "The Defenders of the People and the Media in the Protection of Human Rights and the
Environment", addressed various environmental issues today, and one of the panels dealt with the problem of Matanza - Creek, with
its varied and conflicting range of issues within it.
One of the exhibitors at the disciplinary board, the judge of the Federal Court of Quilmes, in charge of execution of sentence of the
Court, Dr. Luis Armella, expressed his conviction that the Sanitation Plan Cuenca-beyond its complex difficulties, will be brought
forward, because looking after the environment is to protect human beings in terms of their integrity and dignity. He also pointed
out the intricate web of interests surrounding the basin, issues that can not be measured with any index, but which exist in practice.
"We must break with economic interests, political patronage, funds management, internal, etc., And protect the institutions of
Acumen so you can develop a sustained work of sanitation and repair of the Basin."
The head of the Environment Area of the National Ombudsman, Cristina Maiztegui, said "from the decision of the Court have the
opportunity to achieve environmental policy for the entire watershed and improve environmental management of industries and the
quality of life of the settlers, among other things. However, we strongly concerned about the concept of repairing it can happen
that within 10 years we have met the requirements, we did all the homework, but the atmosphere deteriorated further because it is
not guaranteed prevention and appropriate action. This is something we can not lose sight. "
For its part, the Chairman of the Board of Acumen, Gustavo Vialluría, said that the agency is complying with the requirements of
the decision as to its autocratic nature and budget management. "We are detached from the Ministry of Environment and Us
interjuridictional body." It highlighted the progress made (eg, collection of large amounts of waste on the banks of the river) and the
actions that are intended to implement in the short term (eg, revert to the 1200 cleanup plan through the cooperative plan "Argentina
works "). "We know that's not enough, and receive ongoing pressures and demands, but can not be remedied overnight of pollution
of 200 years."
Click here to read more »
TRANSLATED FROM SPANISH BY GOOGLE TRANSLATE
Hundreds of organizations continue the Struggle for Human Rights
Buenos Aires, March 24, 2010.
To commemorate the 34th anniversary of the beginning of the reign of the military junta in Argentina, hundreds of organizations
that advocate human rights marched to the Plaza del Mayo in the afternoon of 24 March. This Memorial Day was a demonstration
of the unity of these organizations in the mission to fight for human rights. They all reminded of the 30 thousand people who were
disappeared during the last military coup, and march on Wednesday, a national holiday, was an opportunity to share these memories
with the world. The Permanent Assembly for Human Rights was one of several hundred groups that supported the purpose of the
march.
The marches took place all day in many parts of Argentina and Buenos Aires, but the way to the Plaza de Mayo was one of the
most successful. A banner with pictures of many of the disappeared and a day of powerful speeches were the highlights of the
ceremony.
More than a march, Memorial Day is a symbol of a simple message: Never Again Thousands of people participated in the march
expressed the need for citizens of Argentina and the world to reject violence of governments facto and human rights violations.
Well, it's a call for people to remember those killed and missing, but it is also a resolution of all present to unite, be vigilant, and do
not accept the corruption of power again.
Click here to read more »
Hundreds of organizations continue the Struggle for Human Rights
Buenos Aires, March 24, 2010.
To commemorate the 34th anniversary of the beginning of the reign of the military junta in Argentina, hundreds of organizations
that advocate human rights marched to the Plaza del Mayo in the afternoon of 24 March. This Memorial Day was a demonstration
of the unity of these organizations in the mission to fight for human rights. They all reminded of the 30 thousand people who were
disappeared during the last military coup, and march on Wednesday, a national holiday, was an opportunity to share these memories
with the world. The Permanent Assembly for Human Rights was one of several hundred groups that supported the purpose of the
march.
The marches took place all day in many parts of Argentina and Buenos Aires, but the way to the Plaza de Mayo was one of the
most successful. A banner with pictures of many of the disappeared and a day of powerful speeches were the highlights of the
ceremony.
More than a march, Memorial Day is a symbol of a simple message: Never Again Thousands of people participated in the march
expressed the need for citizens of Argentina and the world to reject violence of governments facto and human rights violations.
Well, it's a call for people to remember those killed and missing, but it is also a resolution of all present to unite, be vigilant, and do
not accept the corruption of power again.
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Julio Cobos
Vice President since 10 December 2007
Vice President since 10 December 2007
Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner
President since 10 December 2007
President since 10 December 2007
| INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDPS) |
None reported.