César Jaroslavsky
Encyclopedia
César Jaroslavsky was an Argentine politician prominent in the UCR
, the country's oldest existing political party.
Province, in 1928. His father, a wheat farm laborer, died in 1941, and the family moved to Buenos Aires
, where César found work in a brick factory. He joined the centrist Radical Civic Union
(UCR) in 1945, though the October 13 arrest of the UCR's chief rival, populist leader Juan Perón
, prompted the young Jaroslavsky to join the historic October 17 protests for his release (Perón would go on to win the pivotal 1946 general elections
).
Returning to Victoria, Jaroslavsky was a provincial swimming
champion at age 20 and later that year, was elected President of the Entre Ríos chapter of the UCR Youth. A bank teller initially, he joined the editorial staff at the local newsdaily, La Mañana, in 1952. Assigned as secretary to UCR lawmaker Eduardo Laurencena, Jaroslavsky earned some prominence when Laurencena was appointed President of the Central Bank of Argentina, in 1956. He was elected to the Provincial Legislature of Entre Ríos in 1958, and re-elected in 1963.
Jaroslavsky displayed a contentious style in politics, early on: the granting of what he considered execessive salaries and stipends to Entre Ríos legislators lad to his resignation form the body in 1965 (a 1966 coup d'état suspended that and all other legislative bodies in Argentina, as it happened).
The military regime's imminent call for elections led Jaroslavsky in 1972 to join the "Movement for Renewal and Change," Raúl Alfonsín
's center-left alternative within the UCR to Ricardo Balbín
's more conservative, mainstream ticket. Alfonsín's loss to Balbín in the primaries (and Balbín's loss to the Peronists in the 1973 general elections
) caused Jaroslavsky's departure from active politics; Argentina, for its part, would be ruled by another dictatorship from 1976 to 1983.
led to new elections
in October 1983, and the election of Raúl Alfonsín to the presidency was accompanied by a UCR majority in the Lower House of Congress
. Elected to Congress that year, Jaroslavsky was, in turn, elected Leader of the UCR Congressional Caucus - making him Majority Leader of the body.
Jaroslavsky was steadfast advocate of Alfonsín's policies while Majority Leader, and shepherded the ratification of the 1984 Beagle Channel Treaty
with neighboring Chile
, progressive divorce
and spousal rights
laws, and the President's controversial, 1986 plan to relocate the nation's capital to the small patagonia
n city of Viedma, which obtained Lower House passage in 1987 (though it failed to gain Senate approval).
An unprecedented financial crisis led to a loss of both the presidency and congress for the UCR in the 1989 elections
, and it befell Jaroslavsky to lead negotiations with representatives of the victor, Carlos Menem
, on June 15. Jaroslavsky had maintained good relations with Peronist lawakers, however, and negotiations resulted in advancing Menem's inaugural by five months.
and his own health problems led Jaroslavsky to retire from Congress, later that year. A spinal cord
injury took him to Cuba
, where he was visited by President Fidel Castro
following surgery.
Continuing to promote an understanding with the opposition Peronists, Jaroslavsky in 1992 became the first prominent UCR figure to publicly support President Menem's call to amend the Argentine Constitution in favor of allowing presidential reelection. His support helped Alfonsín regain the party presidency in 1993 on the prospect of mutually beneficial negotiations with Menem. These ultimately took place in November and yielded the Olivos Pact
, which granted Menem the right to seek reelection in exchange for reforms favoring the UCR.
Jaroslavsky lost his son, Juan Pablo, in a 1994 firing range accident. Taking part in the Constitutional Convention
that August, he was brought on as campaign manager to the relatively inexperienced UCR presidential nominee, Governor Horacio Massaccesi
. Following the UCR's defeat in the 1995 elections, Jaroslavsky retired from active politics. He authored a reflection on the defeat, Hay otro camino (There is Another Way), in 1996, and saw his daughter, María Gracia, elected to Congress in 1997.
César Jaroslavsky died of a heart attack in Buenos Aires in 2002; he was 73.
UCR
UCR may refer to:* University of California, Riverside* Unified Cornish Revised, a variety of the Cornish language* Uniform Crime Reports* Under color removal* University of Costa Rica* Unión Cívica Radical, an Argentine political party...
, the country's oldest existing political party.
Early life
Jaroslavsky was born in Victoria, Entre RíosVictoria, Entre Ríos
Victoria is a city in the southwest of the province of Entre Ríos, Argentina. It is located on the eastern shore of the Paraná River, opposite Rosario, Santa Fe, to which it is connected since 2003 by the Rosario-Victoria Bridge .The site of a 1750 defeat of a native uprising and an 1810 oratory to...
Province, in 1928. His father, a wheat farm laborer, died in 1941, and the family moved to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, where César found work in a brick factory. He joined the centrist Radical Civic Union
Radical Civic Union
The Radical Civic Union is a political party in Argentina. The party's positions on issues range from liberal to social democratic. The UCR is a member of the Socialist International. Founded in 1891 by radical liberals, it is the oldest political party active in Argentina...
(UCR) in 1945, though the October 13 arrest of the UCR's chief rival, populist leader Juan Perón
Juan Perón
Juan Domingo Perón was an Argentine military officer, and politician. Perón was three times elected as President of Argentina though he only managed to serve one full term, after serving in several government positions, including the Secretary of Labor and the Vice Presidency...
, prompted the young Jaroslavsky to join the historic October 17 protests for his release (Perón would go on to win the pivotal 1946 general elections
Argentine general election, 1946
The Argentine general election of 1946, the last for which only men were enfranchised, was held on 24 February. Voters chose both the President and their legislators and with a turnout of 83.4%, it produced the following results:-President:aAbstentions....
).
Returning to Victoria, Jaroslavsky was a provincial swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
champion at age 20 and later that year, was elected President of the Entre Ríos chapter of the UCR Youth. A bank teller initially, he joined the editorial staff at the local newsdaily, La Mañana, in 1952. Assigned as secretary to UCR lawmaker Eduardo Laurencena, Jaroslavsky earned some prominence when Laurencena was appointed President of the Central Bank of Argentina, in 1956. He was elected to the Provincial Legislature of Entre Ríos in 1958, and re-elected in 1963.
Jaroslavsky displayed a contentious style in politics, early on: the granting of what he considered execessive salaries and stipends to Entre Ríos legislators lad to his resignation form the body in 1965 (a 1966 coup d'état suspended that and all other legislative bodies in Argentina, as it happened).
The military regime's imminent call for elections led Jaroslavsky in 1972 to join the "Movement for Renewal and Change," Raúl Alfonsín
Raúl Alfonsín
Raúl Ricardo Alfonsín was an Argentine lawyer, politician and statesman, who served as the President of Argentina from December 10, 1983, to July 8, 1989. Alfonsín was the first democratically-elected president of Argentina following the military government known as the National Reorganization...
's center-left alternative within the UCR to Ricardo Balbín
Ricardo Balbín
Ricardo Balbín was an Argentine lawyer and politician, and one of the most important figures of the centrist Radical Civic Union , for which he was the presidential nominee four times: in 1951, 1958, and twice in 1973....
's more conservative, mainstream ticket. Alfonsín's loss to Balbín in the primaries (and Balbín's loss to the Peronists in the 1973 general elections
Argentine general election, March 1973
The first Argentine general election of 1973 was held on 11 March. Voters chose both the President and their legislators and with a turnout of 85.5%, it produced the following results:-President:...
) caused Jaroslavsky's departure from active politics; Argentina, for its part, would be ruled by another dictatorship from 1976 to 1983.
A leader in the UCR
The failure of the last military dictatorshipNational Reorganization Process
The National Reorganization Process was the name used by its leaders for the military government that ruled Argentina from 1976 to 1983. In Argentina it is often known simply as la última junta militar or la última dictadura , because several of them existed throughout its history.The Argentine...
led to new elections
Argentine general election, 1983
The Argentine general election of 1983 was held on 30 October and marked the return of Democracy after the 1976's dictatorship self-known as National Reorganization Process...
in October 1983, and the election of Raúl Alfonsín to the presidency was accompanied by a UCR majority in the Lower House of Congress
Argentine Chamber of Deputies
The Chamber of Deputies is the lower house of the Argentine National Congress. This Chamber holds exclusive rights to create taxes, to draft troops, and to accuse the President, the ministers and the members of the Supreme Court before the Senate....
. Elected to Congress that year, Jaroslavsky was, in turn, elected Leader of the UCR Congressional Caucus - making him Majority Leader of the body.
Jaroslavsky was steadfast advocate of Alfonsín's policies while Majority Leader, and shepherded the ratification of the 1984 Beagle Channel Treaty
Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1984 between Chile and Argentina
The Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1984 between Chile and Argentina was signed into agreement at the Vatican on 29 November 1984.It was ratified...
with neighboring Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, progressive divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
and spousal rights
Parens patriae
Parens patriae is Latin for "parent of the nation." In law, it refers to the public policy power of the state to intervene against an abusive or negligent parent, legal guardian or informal caretaker, and to act as the parent of any child or individual who is in need of protection...
laws, and the President's controversial, 1986 plan to relocate the nation's capital to the small patagonia
Patagonia
Patagonia is a region located in Argentina and Chile, integrating the southernmost section of the Andes mountains to the southwest towards the Pacific ocean and from the east of the cordillera to the valleys it follows south through Colorado River towards Carmen de Patagones in the Atlantic Ocean...
n city of Viedma, which obtained Lower House passage in 1987 (though it failed to gain Senate approval).
An unprecedented financial crisis led to a loss of both the presidency and congress for the UCR in the 1989 elections
Argentine general election, 1989
The Argentine general election of 1989 was held on 14 May. Voters chose both the President and their legislators and with a turnout of 85.3%, it produced the following results:-President:aAbstentions.-Argentine Congress:...
, and it befell Jaroslavsky to lead negotiations with representatives of the victor, Carlos Menem
Carlos Menem
Carlos Saúl Menem is an Argentine politician who was President of Argentina from 1989 to 1999. He is currently an Argentine National Senator for La Rioja Province.-Early life:...
, on June 15. Jaroslavsky had maintained good relations with Peronist lawakers, however, and negotiations resulted in advancing Menem's inaugural by five months.
Later life
The UCR's losses in the 1991 mid-term electionsArgentine legislative election, 1991
The Argentine legislative elections of 1991 were held between August and December, though most polls took place on 8 September. Voters chose their legislators and governors and, with a turnout of 79.9%, it produced the following results:-Argentine Congress:...
and his own health problems led Jaroslavsky to retire from Congress, later that year. A spinal cord
Spinal cord
The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular bundle of nervous tissue and support cells that extends from the brain . The brain and spinal cord together make up the central nervous system...
injury took him to Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, where he was visited by President Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
following surgery.
Continuing to promote an understanding with the opposition Peronists, Jaroslavsky in 1992 became the first prominent UCR figure to publicly support President Menem's call to amend the Argentine Constitution in favor of allowing presidential reelection. His support helped Alfonsín regain the party presidency in 1993 on the prospect of mutually beneficial negotiations with Menem. These ultimately took place in November and yielded the Olivos Pact
Pacto de Olivos
The Olivos Pact refers to a series of documents signed on November 17, 1993, between the governing President of Argentina, Carlos Menem, and former President and leader of the opposition UCR, Raúl Alfonsín, that formed the basis of the constitutional reform of 1994...
, which granted Menem the right to seek reelection in exchange for reforms favoring the UCR.
Jaroslavsky lost his son, Juan Pablo, in a 1994 firing range accident. Taking part in the Constitutional Convention
1994 reform of the Argentine Constitution
The 1994 amendment to the Constitution of Argentina was approved on 22 August by a Constitutional Assembly that met in the twin cities of Santa Fe and Paraná...
that August, he was brought on as campaign manager to the relatively inexperienced UCR presidential nominee, Governor Horacio Massaccesi
Horacio Massaccesi
Horacio Massaccesi is an Argentine politician and former Governor of Río Negro Province.-Early career:Massaccesi was born in 1948 to an Italian Argentine family in Villa Regina, then a largely agricultural town on the banks of the Río Negro in Argentina's region of Patagonia...
. Following the UCR's defeat in the 1995 elections, Jaroslavsky retired from active politics. He authored a reflection on the defeat, Hay otro camino (There is Another Way), in 1996, and saw his daughter, María Gracia, elected to Congress in 1997.
César Jaroslavsky died of a heart attack in Buenos Aires in 2002; he was 73.