In the anniversaries of April 2, these events that occurred on a day like today in Argentina and the world stand out:
1805. The birth of Hans Christian Andersen
In the Danish city of Odense, one of the most famous authors of children’s literature was born: Hans Christian Andersen. His stories include “The Ugly Duckling”, “The Tin Soldier”, “The Emperor’s New Clothes” and “The Little Mermaid”. He died in 1875. In his honor, the highest prize for children’s literature is named after him. The date of his birth is remembered as International Children’s Book Day.
1916. Yrigoyen, president by popular vote
Hipólito Yrigoyen becomes president of the Nation in a historic election. For the first time, voting is carried out under the rule of the Sáenz Peña Law, that is, with universal, secret and mandatory suffrage. The law, enacted in 1912, buries electoral fraud, the tool through which conservative governments have succeeded one another. With the triumph of Yrigoyen, the Radical Civic Union comes to power, which amalgamates the popular classes. In the first clean elections in Argentine history, the radical candidate almost doubled the votes of the conservative candidate, Ángel Rojas. Further behind are Lisandro de la Torre (Democratic Progressive Party) and Juan B. Justo (Socialist Party).
1959. Alberto Fernández is born
Alberto Fernández is born. He studied Law at the UBA and was an official for Menem and Duhalde in the 90s. He was elected Buenos Aires legislator in 2000, on the ticket that had Domingo Cavallo as head of Government. He resigned from his seat to be Néstor Kirchner’s chief of staff in 2003. He remained as coordinating minister during Kirchner’s mandate and left office in July 2008, already in the presidency of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, after the end of the conflict with rural employers for withholdings. He accompanied Sergio Massa as a point guard in the Frente Renovador and then Florencio Randazzo. After a decade without dialogue, he recomposed his relationship with Cristina. CFK herself surprised by announcing that he had asked her to head the presidential ticket that would lead to her as her vice president. The Frente de Todos formula won over Mauricio Macri with 48 percent of the votes and took office on December 10, 2019. The administration began marked by the management of the battered economy, but since March 2020, Fernández’s presidency has also had to face the coronavirus pandemic and, two years later, the effects of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
1976. The economic plan of the dictatorship begins
José Alfredo Martínez de Hoz announces his economic plan. The dictatorship’s Minister of Economy speaks for two hours and formulates the new program, which will completely liquidate the industrialization process. Neoliberalism fully enters the lives of Argentines, at the beginning of a brutal dictatorship. Prices are released and salaries undergo periodic adjustments by the military government. Deregulations in the economy begin and the conditions for financial rentism without precedent in Argentine history are generated.
1982. Landing in the Falklands
Operation Rosario: Argentine troops land on the Malvinas Islands and reduce the British garrison. There is only one casualty, that of frigate captain Pedro Giachino. He kicked open the door to the governor’s residence and was met with gunfire. Later testimonies, regarding a decorated post-mortem officer, point to him as participating in the repression during state terrorism. In fact, it has been pointed out that he died for acting as in the kidnapping operations of the dictatorship. Great Britain breaks relations with Argentina, while thousands and thousands of people hail Leopoldo Fortunato Galtieri in Plaza de Mayo. The British occupation of the archipelago, which began in 1833, has ended. The dictatorship trusts that the weakened conservative government of Margaret Thatcher will sit down to negotiate, but the premier will opt for force and the diplomatic crisis will move on to the first and only war conflict in Argentina in the 20th century. The date is remembered as Veteran’s Day and Day of the Fallen in the Falklands War.
1987. Alfonsín answers the military vicar
Mass in the Stella Maris Chapel, in Retiro, where those who fell in the Falklands War are remembered, five years after the Argentine landing. The military vicar, José Miguel Medina, speaks to those present and his homily becomes a strong diatribe against the government of Raúl Alfonsín. When he finishes speaking, the unexpected happens: the president of the Nation decides to answer him and goes up to the pulpit, from where he responds to the bishop of the Armed Forces. The event occurs in the midst of tensions over the summons to officers who have been prosecuted for human rights violations, and whose judicial cases are included within sixty days prior to the entry into force of the Punto Final law, sanctioned late 1986.
2005. The death of John Paul II
At the age of 84, John Paul II dies. A dominant figure in the Church and politics at the end of the 20th century, he was the first non-Italian pontiff in 450 years. Born Karol Wojtila in Poland, he was elected in 1978. His papacy was the longest of the 20th century and the third longest in history. He helped the fall of communism and within the Church he was a staunch doctrinaire orthodox. In 1981 he survived an attack. He toured the world as a Pope had never done before, traveling more than all of his predecessors combined. He visited Argentina in 1982, 72 hours before the surrender in the Falklands War, and in 1987. Heads of state from all over the world travel to his funeral in Rome. He was canonized in 2014, along with John XXIII, by Pope Francis.
2013. Flood in La Plata
The city of La Plata suffers the largest flood in its history. The heavy rains cause an unprecedented situation in the capital of Buenos Aires. There are thousands of evacuees and 120 thousand people are left without electricity supply. Officially, there are 89 fatalities.
2016. Goodbye to the Barbieri Cat
At the age of 83, Leandro Gato Barbieri, Argentina’s greatest jazz musician, dies in New York. He was born in Rosario in 1932. He was able to create a Latin jazz from his tenor sax. He rose to popularity with the soundtrack of Last Tango in Paris, Bertolucci’s film. From the mid-70s are his great works, such as Caliente! and the Chapters series, which spanned four discs.
2022. Sergio Chejfec dies
In New York, the writer Sergio Chejfec dies at the age of 65. He was born in Buenos Aires in 1956. From the late 1980s until 2005 he lived in Caracas, before settling in the United States. In 1990, his first novel, Lenta Biography, appeared, which was followed by, among others, Cinco, Los planetas, Los incompletes and The dramatic experience.
Plus, it’s World Autism Awareness Day.
