Lomas de Zamora (Argentina), 1941

By María Seoane

Eduardo Duhalde was born on October 5, 1941, in Lomas de Zamora, Buenos Aires Province. He studied law at the University of Buenos Aires (UBA), graduating as a lawyer and court clerk. He served as councilor and mayor of Lomas de Zamora (1973-1976 and 1983-1987); national deputy and first vice president of the Chamber of Deputies (1987); and governor of the province of Buenos Aires (1991-1999). In 1989, he joined Carlos Menem in the presidential ticket that won the elections that same year, serving as vice president until 1991.

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After the resignation of Fernando De La Rúa, several interim presidents succeeded one another in an attempt to overcome the crisis. Following the brief terms of Federico Ramón Puerta, Eduardo Oscar Camaño, and Adolfo Rodríguez Saá, he assumed the presidency, elected by the Legislative Assembly, to complete Fernando De La Rúa’s term. He took office on January 1, 2002, amid an economic and social crisis that included the so-called “corralito” on bank accounts, the devaluation of the peso, and the failure of the convertibility law. His goals were to stabilize the currency, calm the social crisis, contain hyperinflation, and lift the country out of recession. He promoted the food emergency law and the “Trabajar” and “Heads of Household” programs.

He called presidential elections for April 27, 2003, in which the ticket of Carlos Menem and Juan Carlos Romero narrowly led, forcing a second round. However, Menem decided not to run in the runoff, declaring the ticket of Néstor Kirchner and Daniel Scioli the winner. He handed over power on May 25 of the same year. Shortly after, he was chosen president of the Southern Common Market (Mercosur).