Argentina

=== Return to democracy ===
{{Main|Presidency of Raúl Alfonsín|Argentine economic crisis (1999–2002)}}
[[File:De la Rúa con Menem.jpg|thumb|[[Carlos Menem]] with the new president, [[Fernando de la Rúa]], on 10 December 1999]]

[[Raúl Alfonsín]] won the [[Argentine general election, 1983|1983 elections]] campaigning for the prosecution of those responsible for [[human rights]] violations during the ''Proceso'': the [[Trial of the Juntas]] and other martial courts sentenced all the coup's leaders but, under military pressure, he also enacted the [[Full Stop Law|Full Stop]] and [[Law of Due Obedience|Due Obedience]] laws,<ref>{{cite Argentine law|l=23492|date=29 December 1986|bo=26058}}</ref><ref>{{cite Argentine law|l=23521|date=9 June 1987|bo=26155}}</ref> which halted prosecutions further down the [[chain of command]]. The worsening economic crisis and [[hyperinflation]] reduced his popular support and the Peronist [[Carlos Menem]] won the [[Argentine general election, 1989|1989 election]]. Soon after, [[1989 riots in Argentina|riots forced Alfonsín to an early resignation]].{{sfn|Galasso|2011|loc=vol. II|pp=533–49}}

Menem embraced and enacted [[neo-liberalism|neoliberal]] policies:{{sfn|Epstein|Pion-Berlin|2006|p=6}} a [[Argentine Currency Board|fixed exchange rate]], business [[deregulation]], [[privatization]]s, and the dismantling of [[protectionism|protectionist]] barriers normalized the economy in the short term. He pardoned the officers who had been sentenced during Alfonsín's government. The [[1994 amendment of the Argentine Constitution|1994 Constitutional Amendment]] allowed Menem to [[Argentine general election, 1995|be elected for a second term]]. With the economy beginning to decline in 1995, and with increasing unemployment and recession,{{sfn|Epstein|Pion-Berlin|2006|p=9}} the UCR, led by [[Fernando de la Rúa]], returned to the presidency in the [[Argentine general election, 1999|1999 elections]].{{sfn|Galasso|2011|loc=vol. II|pp=551–573}}
[[File:Crisis_20_diciembre_2001.jpg|thumb|left|Protests in the city of Buenos Aires during the [[December 2001 riots in Argentina]]]]

De la Rúa left Menem's economic plan in effect despite the worsening crisis, which led to growing social discontent.{{sfn|Epstein|Pion-Berlin|2006|p=9}} Massive [[capital flight]] from the country was responded to with a [[corralito|freezing of bank accounts]], generating further turmoil. The [[December 2001 riots in Argentina|December 2001 riots]] forced him to resign.{{sfn|Galasso|2011|loc=vol. II|pp=575–87}} Congress appointed [[Eduardo Duhalde]] as acting president, who revoked the fixed exchange rate established by Menem,{{sfn|Epstein|Pion-Berlin|2006|p=12}} causing many working- and middle-class Argentines to lose a significant portion of their savings. By late 2002, the economic crisis began to recede, but the assassination of two ''[[piquetero]]s'' by the police caused political unrest, prompting Duhalde to move elections forward.{{sfn|Epstein|Pion-Berlin|2006|p=13}} [[Néstor Kirchner]] was [[Argentine general election, 2003|elected as the new president]]. On 26 May 2003, he was sworn in.<ref>{{cite news |title=Kirchner Sworn in as President of Argentina – 2003-05-26 |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/a-13-a-2003-05-26-30-kirchner/395751.html |work=VOA |language=en |access-date=16 August 2022 |archive-date=16 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220816113526/https://www.voanews.com/a/a-13-a-2003-05-26-30-kirchner/395751.html |url-status=live }}</ref>{{sfn|Galasso|2011|loc=vol. II|pp=587–95}}
[[File:Cristina con baston de mando (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|[[Néstor Kirchner]] and his wife and political successor, [[Cristina Kirchner]]]]

Boosting the [[neo-Keynesianism|neo-Keynesian]] economic policies{{sfn|Epstein|Pion-Berlin|2006|p=13}} laid by Duhalde, Kirchner ended the economic crisis attaining significant fiscal and trade surpluses, and rapid [[Gross domestic product|GDP]] growth.{{sfn|Epstein|Pion-Berlin|2006|p=16}} Under his administration, Argentina [[Argentine debt restructuring|restructured its defaulted debt]] with an unprecedented discount of about 70% on most bonds, paid off debts with the [[International Monetary Fund]],{{sfn|Epstein|Pion-Berlin|2006|p=15}} purged the military of officers with dubious human rights records,{{sfn|Epstein|Pion-Berlin|2006|p=14}} [[void (law)|nullified and voided]] the Full Stop and Due Obedience laws,<ref>{{cite Argentine law|l=25779|date=3 September 2003|bo=30226|p=1}}</ref>{{efn-ua|The Full Stop and Due Obedience laws had been abrogated by Congress in 1998.<ref>{{cite Argentine law|l=24952|date=17 April 1998|bo=28879|p=1}}</ref>}} ruled them as unconstitutional, and resumed legal prosecution of the Junta's crimes. He did not run for reelection, promoting instead the candidacy of his wife, senator [[Cristina Fernández de Kirchner]], who was [[Argentine general election, 2007|elected in 2007]]{{sfn|Galasso|2011|loc=vol. II|pp=597–626}} and [[Argentine general election, 2011|reelected in 2011]]. Fernández de Kirchner's administration established positive foreign relations with countries with questionable human rights records, including Venezuela, Iran, and Cuba, while at the same time relations with the United States and the United Kingdom became increasingly strained. By 2015, the Argentine GDP grew by 2.7%<ref>{{cite web |title=GDP growth (annual %) – Argentina |url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG?locations=AR |website=The World Bank |access-date=7 April 2021 |archive-date=20 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230820141734/https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG?locations=AR |url-status=live }}</ref> and real incomes had risen over 50% since the post-Menem era.<ref>{{cite web |title=GDP per capita (constant 2010 US$) – Argentina |url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.KD?end=2017&locations=AR&start=2002 |website=The World Bank |access-date=7 April 2021 |language=EN |archive-date=23 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423055935/https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.KD?end=2017&locations=AR&start=2002 |url-status=live }}</ref> Despite these economic gains and increased renewable energy production and subsidies, the overall economy had been sluggish since 2011.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bouchier |first1=Dewitt |title=Ruin redux: Argentina's Economy under Mauricio Macri |url=https://politicalmilitaryclub.home.blog/2019/01/22/ruin-redux-argentinas-economy-under-mauricio-macri/ |website=The Political Military Club |access-date=7 April 2021 |date=22 January 2019 |archive-date=14 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231014050045/https://politicalmilitaryclub.home.blog/2019/01/22/ruin-redux-argentinas-economy-under-mauricio-macri/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 22 November 2015, after a tie in the first round of [[Argentine general election, 2015|presidential elections on 25 October]], [[Juntos por el Cambio|center-right coalition]] candidate [[Mauricio Macri]] won the first [[Ballotage in Argentina|ballotage]] in Argentina's history, beating [[Front for Victory]] candidate [[Daniel Scioli]] and becoming president-elect.<ref>{{cite news |title=Argentina shifts to the right after Mauricio Macri wins presidential runoff |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/22/argentina-election-exit-polls-buenos-aires-mauricio-macri |work=The Guardian |date=23 November 2015 |language=en |access-date=16 August 2022 |archive-date=23 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151123083643/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/22/argentina-election-exit-polls-buenos-aires-mauricio-macri |url-status=live }}</ref> Macri was the first democratically elected non-[[Justicialist Party|peronist]] president since 1916 that managed to complete his term in office without being overthrown.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.losandes.com.ar/article/mauricio-macri-el-primer-presidente-desde-1916-que-no-es-peronista-ni-radical|title=Mauricio Macri, el primer presidente desde 1916 que no es peronista ni radical|date=22 November 2015|publisher=Los Andes|language=es|access-date=10 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151125231834/http://www.losandes.com.ar/article/mauricio-macri-el-primer-presidente-desde-1916-que-no-es-peronista-ni-radical|archive-date=25 November 2015|url-status = live}}</ref> He took office on 10 December 2015 and inherited an economy with a high inflation rate and in a poor shape.<ref>{{cite news |title=Argentine President Mauricio Macri sworn in |url=https://www.france24.com/en/20151210-macri-argentina-president-inaugurattion-assumes-power-promises-change |work=France 24 |date=10 December 2015 |language=en |access-date=16 August 2022 |archive-date=15 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220815150949/https://www.france24.com/en/20151210-macri-argentina-president-inaugurattion-assumes-power-promises-change |url-status=live }}</ref> In April 2016, the [[Presidency of Mauricio Macri|Macri Government]] introduced neoliberal austerity measures intended to tackle [[inflation]] and overblown public deficits.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Carrelli Lynch|first1=Guido|title=Macri anunció medidas para amortiguar la inflación|url=http://www.clarin.com/politica/Macri-anuncio-medidas-amortiguar-inflacion_0_1559844404.html|access-date=25 June 2016|work=Clarín|language=es|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160616232749/http://www.clarin.com/politica/Macri-anuncio-medidas-amortiguar-inflacion_0_1559844404.html|archive-date=16 June 2016|url-status = live}}</ref> Under Macri's administration, economic recovery remained elusive with GDP shrinking 3.4%, inflation totaling 240%, billions of US dollars issued in sovereign debt, and mass poverty increasing by the end of his term.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Alcalá Kovalski |first1=Manuel |title=Lessons learned from the Argentine economy under Macri |url=https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2019/09/05/lessons-learned-from-the-argentine-economy-under-macri/ |website=Brookings Institution |access-date=7 April 2021 |language=EN |date=5 September 2019 |archive-date=10 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230610010840/https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2019/09/05/lessons-learned-from-the-argentine-economy-under-macri/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Rabouin |first1=Dion |title=Argentine president leads economy to debt, inflation and mass poverty |url=https://www.axios.com/argentina-economy-tanks-under-mauricio-macri-20995628-5475-4bf8-b21b-c6cba9aeb8a8.html |website=Axios |access-date=7 April 2021 |language=EN |date=3 September 2019 |archive-date=27 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220327153336/https://www.axios.com/argentina-economy-tanks-under-mauricio-macri-20995628-5475-4bf8-b21b-c6cba9aeb8a8.html |url-status=live }}</ref> He ran for re-election in 2019 but lost by nearly eight percentage points to [[Alberto Fernández]], the Justicialist Party candidate.<ref>{{cite news |title=Argentina election: Centre-left Alberto Fernández wins presidency |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-50203727 |work=BBC News |date=28 October 2019 |access-date=23 November 2021 |archive-date=4 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230604183854/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-50203727 |url-status=live }}</ref>

President Alberto Fernández and Vice President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner took office in December 2019,<ref>{{cite news |title='We're back': Alberto Fernández sworn in as Argentina shifts to the left |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/10/argentina-alberto-fernandez-inauguration |work=The Guardian |date=10 December 2019 |language=en |access-date=16 August 2022 |archive-date=28 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210728090448/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/10/argentina-alberto-fernandez-inauguration |url-status=live }}</ref> just months before the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina|COVID-19 pandemic hit Argentina]] and among accusations of [[corruption]], [[bribery]] and [[The Route of the K-Money|misuse of public funds during Nestor and Cristina Fernández de Kirchner's presidencies]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afip.gob.ar/english/|title=''Administracion Federal''|website=AFIP|access-date=1 June 2014|archive-date=31 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151231075127/http://www.afip.gob.ar/english/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Mercopress">{{cite web|url= http://en.mercopress.com/2013/05/15/allegations-of-a-network-of-corruption-money-involves-former-president-kirchner|title= Allegations of a network of corruption money involves former president Kirchner|date= 15 March 2013|publisher= Merco Press|access-date= 27 March 2020|archive-date= 7 April 2014|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140407072817/http://en.mercopress.com/2013/05/15/allegations-of-a-network-of-corruption-money-involves-former-president-kirchner|url-status= live}}</ref> On 14 November 2021, the center-left coalition of Argentina's ruling Peronist party,  [[Frente de Todos]] (Front for Everyone), lost its majority in Congress, for the first time in almost 40 years, in midterm [[2021 Argentine legislative election|legislative elections]]. The election victory of the center-right coalition, [[Juntos por el Cambio]] (Together for Change) limited President Alberto Fernandez's power during his final two years in office. Losing control of the Senate made it difficult for him to make key appointments, including to the judiciary. It also forced him to negotiate with the opposition every initiative he sends to the legislature.<ref>{{cite news |title=Peronists may lose Argentina Congress for first time in 40 years |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/15/argentinas-peronists-looks-set-to-lose-senate-control |work=www.aljazeera.com |language=en |access-date=16 November 2021 |archive-date=20 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220820224116/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/15/argentinas-peronists-looks-set-to-lose-senate-control |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Bronstein |first1=Hugh |last2=Misculin |first2=Nicolás |title=Argentina's Peronists on the ropes after bruising midterm defeat |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/argentines-vote-midterm-trial-by-fire-president-fernandez-2021-11-14/ |work=Reuters |date=15 November 2021 |language=en |access-date=16 November 2021 |archive-date=17 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211117231933/https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/argentines-vote-midterm-trial-by-fire-president-fernandez-2021-11-14/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In April 2023, President Alberto Fernandez announced that he will not seek re-election in the next [[2023 Argentine general election|presidential election]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Argentina's President Fernandez will not seek re-election |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/4/21/argentinas-president-fernandez-will-not-seek-re-election |work=www.aljazeera.com |language=en |access-date=3 June 2023 |archive-date=7 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230907063725/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/4/21/argentinas-president-fernandez-will-not-seek-re-election |url-status=live }}</ref> The 19 November 2023 [[2023 Argentine general election|election]] run-off vote ended in a win for libertarian outsider [[Javier Milei]] with close to 56% of the vote against 44% of the ruling coalition candidate [[Sergio Massa]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=19 November 2023 |title=Javier Milei: Argentina's far-right outsider wins presidential election |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-67470549 |access-date=24 November 2023 |archive-date=24 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231124015721/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-67470549 |url-status=live }}</ref>  On 10 December 2023, Javier Milei was sworn in as the new president of Argentina.<ref>{{Cite news |date=11 December 2023 |title=Javier Milei: New president tells Argentina 'shock treatment' looms |language=en-GB |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-67678276 |access-date=11 December 2023 |archive-date=11 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231211003316/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-67678276 |url-status=live }}</ref>