Domingo Mercante
Encyclopedia
Domingo Mercante was an Argentine military officer and prominent Peronist political figure.
section of Buenos Aires
in 1898. His father was a locomotive engineer
and senior member of La Fraternidad, the main railway workers
' trade union at the time. He completed his secondary education in the National Military College in 1919 and received further training in the Superior War College, making him a career military officer. He married Elena Caporale and was transferred to the chief Argentine Army
base, the Campo de Mayo
, where he remained from 1924 to 1940. A lieutenant colonel
in the Mountain Division, Mercante took part in the 1943 coup d'état
against conservative President Ramón Castillo
. This opportunity led labor leaders Ángel Borlenghi
and Juan Atilio Bramuglia
to seek allies in the new regime, which they first found in Mercante - familiar to the rail workers' unions through his father. Mercante became the liaison between labor and the amenable new Labor Minister, a colleague from the Mountain Division, Col. Juan Perón
.
This role led to his appointment as comptroller of La Fraternidad and of its rival, the Unión Ferroviaria; as such, he proved central to Perón's achieving political dominance of the regime after October 17, 1945. Imprisoned days earlier by junta leaders wary of his popularity, Perón's fateful release was due greatly to Mercante, who was his chief negotiator and who helped Eva Duarte plan and lead successful mobilizations for his release (Mercante introduced "Evita" to the populist leader in 1944). Promoted to full colonel in December, Mercante was named to the powerful Labor Ministry and accepted Perón's offer of the nomination as his running mate; in January, however, Mercante asked to be dropped from the ticket - asking instead to stand for governor of the paramount Province of Buenos Aires.
Running on Perón's Labor Party ticket, Mercante defeated centrist UCR
nominee Alejandro Leloir by almost 20%. He ran well ahead of Labor Party candidates for the provincial legislature (who ended just short of the UCR) and even ahead of Perón, himself. Governor Mercante pursued a vigorous social agenda, becoming a key contributor to the Peronist program of enhanced labor rights
and public works
investments. Over the next six years, his administration accelerated land reform
(distributing 1300 square kilometres(1,400,000 acres) - of unused land), completed 1600 schools and 146 housing developments, among numerous other such works (built in a mock-chalet
style, these housing units became known as the "Mercante chalets").
These accomplishments and their lengthy acquaintance helped make Mercante one of Perón's most important allies; as such, he was named President of the Constitutional Assembly
of 1948 - a body entrusted to replace the 1853 Argentine Constitution with a more populist document. Reelected governor in 1950 by over 25% over UCR nominee Ricardo Balbín
, Mercante became increasingly thought of as a potential successor to the president, whose second term would, in theory, end in 1958. This prominence became a liability to the popular governor, however, and the increasingly autocratic Perón prevailed on him to stand down for new gubernatorial elections in 1952, expelling him from the Peronist Party in 1953.
Mercante did not allow this imposition to be a cause of conflict between himself and the president, declaring that "I've always towed our leader's line and, moreover, consider it anathema not to do so. My government in Buenos Aires Province depended on Perón, and disloyalty to him would have been tantamount to disloyalty to our movement and beliefs." The retired officer joined efforts to quell a 1955 coup attempt against Perón; the coup was successful, however, and the ensuing regime
tried Mercante. Soon freed, he maintained a low profile afterwards and died in 1976 at age 77.
Life and times
Domingo Alfredo Mercante was born in the FloresFlores, Buenos Aires
Flores is a middle class barrio or district in the centre part of Buenos Aires city, Argentina. Flores was considered a rural area of the Province of Buenos Aires until 1888 when it was integrated to the City....
section of 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...
in 1898. His father was a locomotive engineer
Locomotive engineer
A locomotive engineer may refer to:*Railroad engineer, a person who operates a locomotive, usually called an engine or train driver outside North America*Locomotive builder, a person who designs and builds locomotives...
and senior member of La Fraternidad, the main railway workers
Rail transport in Argentina
The Argentine railway network comprised of track at the end of the Second World War and was, in its time, one of the most extensive and prosperous in South America. However, with the increase in highway construction, there followed a sharp decline in railway profitability, leading to the break-up...
' trade union at the time. He completed his secondary education in the National Military College in 1919 and received further training in the Superior War College, making him a career military officer. He married Elena Caporale and was transferred to the chief Argentine Army
Argentine Army
The Argentine Army is the land armed force branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic and the senior military service of the country.- History :...
base, the Campo de Mayo
Campo de Mayo
Campo de Mayo is a military base located in Greater Buenos Aires, Argentina, northwest of Buenos Aires.Campo de Mayo covers an area of and is one of the most important military bases in Argentina, including Argentine Army's:...
, where he remained from 1924 to 1940. A lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
in the Mountain Division, Mercante took part in the 1943 coup d'état
Arturo Rawson
Arturo Rawson was the President of Argentina from June 4, 1943 to June 7, 1943.-Biography:Born in Santiago del Estero, Rawson attended Argentina’s Military College, which he graduated from in 1907 and subsequently taught at for a time. Rawson rose through the ranks of the Argentine Army and was...
against conservative President Ramón Castillo
Ramón Castillo
Ramón S. Castillo Barrionuevo was a conservative Argentine politician who served as President of Argentina from June 27, 1942 to June 4, 1943...
. This opportunity led labor leaders Ángel Borlenghi
Ángel Borlenghi
Ángel Borlenghi was an Argentine labor leader and politician closely associated with the Peronist movement.-Early life and the labor movement:Ángel Gabriel Borlenghi was born in Buenos Aires to Italian immigrants, in 1904...
and Juan Atilio Bramuglia
Juan Atilio Bramuglia
Juan Atilio Bramuglia was an Argentine labor lawyer who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs during the administration of President Juan Perón.-Early life and career:...
to seek allies in the new regime, which they first found in Mercante - familiar to the rail workers' unions through his father. Mercante became the liaison between labor and the amenable new Labor Minister, a colleague from the Mountain Division, Col. 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...
.
This role led to his appointment as comptroller of La Fraternidad and of its rival, the Unión Ferroviaria; as such, he proved central to Perón's achieving political dominance of the regime after October 17, 1945. Imprisoned days earlier by junta leaders wary of his popularity, Perón's fateful release was due greatly to Mercante, who was his chief negotiator and who helped Eva Duarte plan and lead successful mobilizations for his release (Mercante introduced "Evita" to the populist leader in 1944). Promoted to full colonel in December, Mercante was named to the powerful Labor Ministry and accepted Perón's offer of the nomination as his running mate; in January, however, Mercante asked to be dropped from the ticket - asking instead to stand for governor of the paramount Province of Buenos Aires.
Running on Perón's Labor Party ticket, Mercante defeated centrist UCR
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...
nominee Alejandro Leloir by almost 20%. He ran well ahead of Labor Party candidates for the provincial legislature (who ended just short of the UCR) and even ahead of Perón, himself. Governor Mercante pursued a vigorous social agenda, becoming a key contributor to the Peronist program of enhanced labor rights
Labor rights
Labor rights or workers' rights are a group of legal rights and claimed human rights having to do with labor relations between workers and their employers, usually obtained under labor and employment law. In general, these rights' debates have to do with negotiating workers' pay, benefits, and safe...
and public works
Public works
Public works are a broad category of projects, financed and constructed by the government, for recreational, employment, and health and safety uses in the greater community...
investments. Over the next six years, his administration accelerated land reform
Land reform
[Image:Jakarta farmers protest23.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Farmers protesting for Land Reform in Indonesia]Land reform involves the changing of laws, regulations or customs regarding land ownership. Land reform may consist of a government-initiated or government-backed property redistribution,...
(distributing 1300 square kilometres(1,400,000 acres) - of unused land), completed 1600 schools and 146 housing developments, among numerous other such works (built in a mock-chalet
Chalet
A chalet , also called Swiss chalet, is a type of building or house, native to the Alpine region, made of wood, with a heavy, gently sloping roof with wide, well-supported eaves set at right angles to the front of the house.-Definition and origin:...
style, these housing units became known as the "Mercante chalets").
These accomplishments and their lengthy acquaintance helped make Mercante one of Perón's most important allies; as such, he was named President of the Constitutional Assembly
Constitutional Assembly
The Constitutional Assembly was a body elected in 1955 to draw up a permanent constitution for the Republic of Indonesia. It sat between November 10, 1956 and July 2, 1959...
of 1948 - a body entrusted to replace the 1853 Argentine Constitution with a more populist document. Reelected governor in 1950 by over 25% over UCR nominee 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....
, Mercante became increasingly thought of as a potential successor to the president, whose second term would, in theory, end in 1958. This prominence became a liability to the popular governor, however, and the increasingly autocratic Perón prevailed on him to stand down for new gubernatorial elections in 1952, expelling him from the Peronist Party in 1953.
Mercante did not allow this imposition to be a cause of conflict between himself and the president, declaring that "I've always towed our leader's line and, moreover, consider it anathema not to do so. My government in Buenos Aires Province depended on Perón, and disloyalty to him would have been tantamount to disloyalty to our movement and beliefs." The retired officer joined efforts to quell a 1955 coup attempt against Perón; the coup was successful, however, and the ensuing regime
Revolución Libertadora
The Revolución Libertadora was a military uprising that ended the second presidential term of Juan Perón in Argentina, on September 16, 1955.-History:...
tried Mercante. Soon freed, he maintained a low profile afterwards and died in 1976 at age 77.