Jaime Gerardo Roberto Marcelino María Ortiz (24 September 1886 – 15 July 1942) was
President of Argentina
The president of Argentina, officially known as the president of the Argentine Nation, is both head of state and head of government of Argentina. Under Constitution of Argentina, the national constitution, the president is also the Head of go ...
from 1938 until his resignation in 1942. He became president in 1938 following the
1937 presidential election, described as being among the most fraudulent in Argentine history. His main management objective was to end
fraud
In law, fraud is intent (law), intentional deception to deprive a victim of a legal right or to gain from a victim unlawfully or unfairly. Fraud can violate Civil law (common law), civil law (e.g., a fraud victim may sue the fraud perpetrato ...
. The attempt to normalize the institutions confronted him with his vice president,
Ramón Castillo, leader of the
conservative
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
sectors of the government coalition. The president and vice president belonged to different political groupings. Ortiz was a
radical antipersonnel and Castillo, a
conservative
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
in the
National Democratic Party. Both were part of the formula of
Concordancia, a coalition that had ruled since 1932.
Life
Ortiz was born in
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...
on 24 September 1886. As a student at the
University of Buenos Aires, he participated in the unsuccessful
Argentine Revolution of 1905. In 1909 he graduated from the university and became a lawyer.
He became active in the
Radical Civic Union
The Radical Civic Union (, UCR) is a major political party in Argentina. It has reached the national government on ten occasions, making it one of the most historically important parties in the country. Ideologically, the party has stood for r ...
and was elected to the
Argentine National Congress
The National Congress of Argentina () is the legislative branch of the government of Argentina. Its composition is bicameral, constituted by a 72-seat Senate and a 257-seat Chamber of Deputies. The Senate, a third of whose members are elected to ...
in 1920.
He served as Minister of Public Works from 1925 to 1928.
He supported the
Revolution of 1930 and served as
Minister of the Treasury from 1936 to 1937. Beside his support for the coup d'état he rejected
José Félix Uriburu's attempt to create a "corporatist" government (inspired by Mussolini's fascism in Italy), arguing that this model was not working in Europe.
Presidency
In the
presidential elections of 1937, he was the official government candidate and won, though the opposition accused him of participating in fraud, as irregularities were widespread. Ortiz never denied these charges, but once he took office, he tried to make Argentine politics more open and democratic.
Soon after becoming president, Ortiz became seriously ill with
diabetes
Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is a group of common endocrine diseases characterized by sustained high blood sugar levels. Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not producing enough of the hormone insulin, or the cells of th ...
and on 3 July 1940, he delegated his powers to Vice President
Ramón Castillo.
He favored the
Allies during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, but because of opposition within the army, he did not break relations with the
Axis powers
The Axis powers, originally called the Rome–Berlin Axis and also Rome–Berlin–Tokyo Axis, was the military coalition which initiated World War II and fought against the Allies of World War II, Allies. Its principal members were Nazi Ge ...
.
He resigned from the presidency on 24 July 1942, three weeks before dying of
bronchial pneumonia at age 55.
Honours
*
Order of Isabella the Catholic
*
Order of the White Rose of Finland
See also
*
History of Argentina
References
External links
*
Presidents of Argentina
People of the Infamous Decade
1886 births
1942 deaths
Ministers of economy of Argentina
Members of the Argentine Chamber of Deputies elected in Buenos Aires
National Democratic Party (Argentina) politicians
Radical Civic Union politicians
20th-century Argentine lawyers
Lawyers from Buenos Aires
University of Buenos Aires alumni
Deaths from diabetes in Argentina
20th-century Argentine politicians
20th-century presidents of Argentina
Ministers of social welfare of Argentina
Order of the White Rose of Finland
Collars of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
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