Political and Social Upheavals in Latin America (1930-1955)
The Two Presidencies of Peron (1946-1955)
Political Trajectory
In 1930, Peron participated in the Uriburu coup d’état and then obtained an opposition position as assistant minister to the liberal democratic Guerra. His political base rested on the individual (functional democracy) and a form of Fascism based on hierarchy and a firm power structure that could bring order and secure insertion and production through representation and organization via corporatist interests.
Corporatism, “Community Organizer,” and Industrialization
The crisis of democracy and the liberal system was evident in the 1930s. Corporatism offered a social planner model and representation of occupational or cultural groups, socially acceptable in a Catholic environment. Victor Raul proposed that the Chamber of Deputies be completed by a Senate that would see corporate representatives from labor or social-democrats. Peron envisioned a common organization for developing the country, with state intervention in creating such interests. This was based on the modern European pluralist experience, or the United States and Japan, where industrialization was specific to the conditions of war.
Government Experience
Upon assuming the presidency, Peron encountered a Congress with more than two-thirds of its members from his party, and almost the entire Senate. In 1947, Luis Gay was displaced from the General Secretary of the CGT. The worker’s movement began to be managed from a position of power. Manuel Miranda (Minister of the Economy) conceived the Argentine Institute for the Promotion of Exchange (IAPI). This institution was later charged with corruption. On the cultural front, universities were intervened, and the National University of the South was created. The law was enacted to make religious teaching obligatory. The industrial policy focused on a fifteen-year plan (formally launched in 1947). The contrast between those who consistently opposed the new government and those who benefited from it was intense and reflected in industrial unions.
Second Presidency of Peron (1952-1955)
Confrontation and Fall
In 1950, Peron conducted a press offensive against all independent voices, which were almost silenced. Excuses included resistance to opponents who had made statements like “the year of liberation of General San Martin.” In 1949, a new constitution was sanctioned that allowed for re-election and established social conquests. Its celebrated Article 40 established that national companies could not be handed over to foreigners. The 1951 presidential election saw strong pressure for Eva Peron to be a candidate for Vice President. However, cancer prevented this, and she passed away shortly after, just past 30 years of age. A railroad strike in January 1951 required the government to declare martial law and incorporate strikers into the military to be disciplined. In 1954, a new and fatal confrontation arose with the Church, which began to distance itself from Peron. The first step was the decision to form trade union schools with their own proposals. At the same time, there was talk of forming a Christian government. The Democratic Party sanctioned strikes in 1954 and 1955, using the Roca and Celman laws. The divorce law and obligatory religious education were eliminated and replaced with texts that used moral examples. In 1954, the climate of opposition erupted into a revolt with armed sectors bombing the Plaza de Mayo, where a popular demonstration was being prepared. Weapons were found in the region. Peron did not accept the situation and applied the dictum of Wrasse: “He who controls disorder has more power than he who maintains order.” Another military plot in 1955 was successful. The movement was led by General Eduardo Lonardi and influenced by other military figures with Catholic and nationalistic leanings. This movement (Liberating Revolution) had the support of almost the entire political spectrum, from the center to the left, and university student entities.
Paraguay: 1930-1954
Between 1930 and 1940, Paraguayan policies were defined by the Chaco War (1935) against Bolivia, the Paraguayan Civil War (1947), military dictatorships, and periods of extreme political instability. General Alfredo Stroessner took power in May 1954. Elected to fill the unexpired term of his predecessor, he was re-elected president seven times, ruling almost continuously under a siege provision of the constitution with support from the military and the Colorado Party. During the 34 years of Stroessner’s reign, political freedoms were severely limited, and opponents of the regime were systematically harassed and persecuted under the banner of national security and anti-communism.
Santo Domingo: 1930-1966
In 1930, Santo Domingo (excluding the Zona Colonial) was extensively damaged by the San Zeno hurricane. President Rafael Trujillo rebuilt the city and renamed it Ciudad Trujillo after himself. After his assassination in 1961, Ciudad Trujillo reverted to Santo Domingo de Guzman. The name officially became Santo Domingo in 1966 when this change was incorporated into the Constitution of the Dominican Republic. Some argue that the capital of the Dominican Republic has always been Santo Domingo de Guzman.
Venezuela: 1928-1930
In May 1830, the Constituent Congress of Venezuela was installed in Valencia, which adopted a constitution. This strengthened the separation from Gran Colombia and marked the birth of the Republic of Venezuela. The opposition movement, most notably the 1928 student movement, gave rise to new political leaders. A military coup and the Falke invasion were also stopped in 1929. The greatest contribution of this period was the final pacification of the country, eliminating warlords and creating the Military Academy of Venezuela as the basis for a consolidated National Army.