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Category: Politicians

359. bernardo de irigoyen

Published by Robert on 4 December 2009

Bernardo de Irigoyen, Recoleta Cemetery

An important & influential politician of his time, Bernardo de Irigoyen is one of the many figures in Argentine history who have fallen from collective memory. Time to change that. Born in Buenos Aires in 1822, De Irigoyen supported Rosas & after completing a law degree was sent by “the Restorer” to negotiate border problems with Chile. Even Domingo Sarmiento, then exiled in Chile, admired De Irigoyen’s diplomatic skill.

Bernardo de Irigoyen, Recoleta Cemetery

After returning to Buenos Aires, the Acuerdo de San Nicolás was a direct result of De Irigoyen’s negotiation ability, bringing provinces of the Confederation together and forming the basis for a later constitution… no matter if Buenos Aires rejected it 🙂 And even after Rosas left Argentina for good, the new regime valued De Irigoyen. He was head of the Treasury under Sarmiento’s presidency & Minister of Foreign Relations for both Avellaneda & Roca.

Bernardo de Irigoyen, Recoleta Cemetery

When De Irigoyen ran for President in 1886, Roca supported Miguel Juárez Celman instead of his former minister. Big mistake. The 1890 Revolution might not have happened had Roca supported De Irigoyen… an interesting what-if scenario. Defeated, De Irigoyen took a break from public life until the formation of the Unión Cívica political party. He served in a number of national & provincial positions until his death in 1906.

Bernardo de Irigoyen, Recoleta Cemetery

The family vault shows few signs of maintenance these days. For someone who dedicated his entire life to serving the nation, it’s amazing that this mausoleum is not listed as a National Historic Monument:

Bernardo de Irigoyen, Recoleta Cemetery

And besides a street name, the only memory of Bernardo de Irigoyen in Buenos Aires is an Art Deco statue in Plaza Rodríguez Peña:

Bernardo de Irigoyen, Plaza Rodríguez Peña

Bernardo de Irigoyen, Plaza Rodríguez Peña

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355. alfonsín, finally home ◊

Published by Robert on 25 November 2009

Raúl Alfonsín, Recoleta Cemetery

After the death of ex-President Raúl Alfonsín on March 31st of this year, he was temporarily laid to rest in a pantheon dedicated to victims of the 1890 Revolution. That conflict gave birth to the Unión Cívica Radical, Alfonsín’s political party.

In the meantime, a site previously belonging to French nuns had been purchased for Alfonsín. The old was demolished & the ceremony for the new  took place October 30th, the same day Alfonsín was elected in 1983. A bust of the former President by sculptor Luciano Garbati was officially revealed by family members & leading politicians of the UCR. Vice-President Julio Cobos spoke about political reform as did UCR leader, Gerardo Morales.

Raúl Alfonsín, Recoleta Cemetery

Raúl Alfonsín, Recoleta Cemetery

Many people claim that the bust does not resemble Alfonsín, but supposedly the sculptor used an older photograph —therefore a younger image of Alfonsín— as his model. In fact, it is the same image found on a commemorative stamp issued in May.

Raúl Alfonsín, Recoleta Cemetery

Correo Argentino, Alfonsín

Update: In January 2016 Alfonsín’s wife, First Lady María Lorenza Barreneche Iriarte, passed away. She was cremated in Chacarita Cemetery & her ashes brought here to rest in peace.

Press photos above from momento24 & La Nación.

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348. luis saénz peña

Published by Robert on 9 November 2009

Luis Saénz Peña, Recoleta Cemetery

Born in Buenos Aires in 1822, not only did Luis Saénz Peña have to choose sides during the difficult period of national organization under Rosas, but he also had to choose a career. His parents wanted a doctor in the family while he had a preference for law. Saénz Peña did both. Some of his illustrious classmates in med school were Guillermo Rawson & José María Bosch while he was accompanied in law school by Bernardo de Irigoyen & Rufino de Elizalde.

Only after the expulsion of Rosas did Saénz Peña come into the public eye. In 1860 he formed part of the Convención de Buenos Aires, responsible for a new draft of the constitution & firmly believed that BA should form part of the Argentine Confederation.

Luis Saénz Peña, Recoleta Cemetery

Twenty years later, Saénz Peña held a variety of provincial & national posts —too many to mention here— with the most important being a representative/diputado in the National Congress, then head of the Supreme Court. After the 1890 Revolution, he sided with Roca & Pellegrini… & as a result later became involved in a family scandal.

During 1892 presidential elections, the liberal UCR party thought Bartolomé Mitre would be a sure win while conservatives under Roca’s influence thought it best to continue to support Pellegrini. Some conservatives broke away from Roca & presented Roque Saénz Peña—the son of Luis—as their candidate. Intimidated by the change Roque would bring, Mitre, Pellegrini & Roca formed an alliance to present Luis Saénz Peña as their alliance candidate. Tricky, tricky.

Of course Roque would not run against his own father, so Luis became President. His term is known for modernizing the nation, but eventually Saénz Peña lost Roca’s support, faced a series of uprisings & eventually resigned to let his Vice-President José Evaristo Uriburu take over in 1895.

Luis Saénz Peña, Recoleta Cemetery

Leaving public life for good, Luis Saénz Peña quietly passed away in 1907… three years before his son became President. The tomb has been neglected for a long time but remains interesting for its history & a Biblical quote in Latin above the door from Job 19:25:

Scio enim quod redemptor meus vivit et in novissimo die de terra surrecturus sum.

I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.

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338. progress for alfonsín

Published by Robert on 10 August 2009

Raúl Alfonsín, Recoleta Cemetery

Over the past four months, a lot of progress has been made for the future burial spot of former President Raúl Alfonsín. Engravings are finished as well as a plaque in place quoting one of Alfonsín’s most famous speeches. Although the stained glass dome is not of high quality, at least it adds a bit of color:

Raúl Alfonsín, Recoleta Cemetery

No official word as to when the transfer will take place. At least barricades have been removed from the UCR Pantheon where Alfonsín is currently buried, & everyone can now get a look at his casket:

UCR Pantheon - Alfonsín, Recoleta Cemetery

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332. pedro inchauspe

Published by Robert on 27 July 2009

Pedro Inchauspe, Recoleta Cemetery

Many people who visit Recoleta Cemetery have heard about Perón’s policy of allowing Nazi war criminals safe haven in Argentina after World War II. But there is another, often neglected part of the story. Argentina could have easily been on the Allied side long before Perón came to power.

Argentina consulted the UK about declaring war on Axis powers in 1939 under the presidency of Roberto Ortiz. England had been Argentina’s chief creditor for decades & one of the major importers of Argentine grain & livestock. But Argentina was advised to maintain neutrality so they could continue to supply food to a nation at war. As a contrast to Ortiz’s willingness to involve Argentina in a conflict in another hemisphere, his government also issued an order to deny visas to any Jewish person trying to escape the Holocaust. His interests were obviously only economic.

Acción Argentina, Recoleta Cemetery

In a response to the horrors of Axis domination in Europe, Acción Argentina formed in 1940 led by ex-President Marcelo T. de Alvear. Although their motives were different than those of Ortiz, they might have been successful in taking Argentina to war if the US had not been attacked in 1941. Dropping their isolationist policy, the US requested at a conference in Rio de Janeiro that all American nations form a united front against Axis powers. To many —including Argentina foreign minister & Nobel Laureate Carlos Saavedra Lamas— the US request sounded like a way to extend their own power to South America & the request was rejected.

Other members of Acción Argentina included Victoria Ocampo, Nicolás Repetto, Alicia Moreau de Justo, & former President Agustín P. Justo. Although total membership was under 500, elite members gave the organization a strong voice.

For more info, check out a book by Andrés Bisso titled “Acción Argentina y las estrategias de movilización del antifascismo liberal-socialista en torno a la Segunda Guerra Mundial, 1940-1946.” Under US pressure, Perón’s predecessor declared war on Germany about 6 months before the conflict was over.

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