Mariano Grondona
Encyclopedia
Mariano Grondona is an Argentine
lawyer, sociologist, political scientist, essayist and commentator. He has been a journalist for several decades, appearing in print media and on television, and has written several books. He has also taught in several universities, both in Argentina and abroad.
(UBA). He did postgraduate studies
on Sociology
at the University of Madrid
, and on Political Science
at the Political Studies Institute of Madrid. Since 1987 he has been a professor of Political Law at UBA. From the mid-1980s until the 1990s he was a visiting professor and researcher at the University of Harvard.
between 1987 and 1996, and later become a political op-ed writer in the same newspaper, a position he still holds .
Grondona appeared alongside Bernardo Neustadt in leading political opinion TV show Tiempo Nuevo until the pair split up in 1986. Since 1989, he hosts his own weekly program.
In 1997 he received the Platinum- and Diamond Konex Award
for Communication-Journalism, and have been awarded the Konnex Merit Diploma on the field of Political Analysis in 1987.
During the 2000s he has hosted two radio shows, Las claves del día and Pensando con Mariano Grondona.
, with a strong Catholic
element (as opposed to the more liberal
ideology of other right-wing opinion leaders such as the late Álvaro Alsogaray
). In matters of Argentine foreign policy, he favors alignment with the United States
.
In the mid-1960s, Grondona supported the coup that brought dictator Juan Carlos Onganía
to the presidency, and later held public office in his government, although he grew disappointed and was later dismissed. He stated that he "had tried to make a De Gaulle
of Onganía, and got a Franco
instead".
In the 1970s Grondona was a supporter of presidents Héctor José Cámpora
and Juan Perón
. After Perón's death during his term, Grondona supported the policies of Isabel Perón's Welfare Minister José López Rega
, founder of the Argentine Anti-Communist Alliance.
As Isabel Perón's government fell apart, he advocated the participation of the military, and welcomed the beginning of the National Reorganization Process
in 1976. A non-authorized biography of Grondona, El Doctor, by Martín Sivak
(2005), pointed out that he worked as an advisor of military junta member Brigadier Basilio Lami Dozo
, on whose request he wrote a government programme titled Bases Políticas para la Reorganización Nacional (echoing Juan Bautista Alberdi
's Bases and Points of Departure for the Political Organization of the Argentine Republic).
Grondona was one of the few leading intellectuals that opposed the Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1984 between Chile and Argentina
, calling for a "No" vote in that year's referendum on whether to accept the mediation of the Holy See in a border dispute with Chile.
In his program "Hora Clave" on March 16, 2003, he declared about the dictatorship in Argentina from 1976 to 1983 that "The rational behavior, in any war, is to be on the side of the winners". On the day of former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet's death, he declared in the same program that "If Allende had stayed in power, Chile would have probably become a communist country", as well as "I can understand that someone that has a fascist ideology, will try to live by what he considers his "principles" [...], but what really disappointed me is the fact that he had bank accounts in Switzerland. That is intolerable".
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
lawyer, sociologist, political scientist, essayist and commentator. He has been a journalist for several decades, appearing in print media and on television, and has written several books. He has also taught in several universities, both in Argentina and abroad.
As an academic
Grondona studied Law and Social Sciences at the University of Buenos AiresUniversity of Buenos Aires
The University of Buenos Aires is the largest university in Argentina and the largest university by enrollment in Latin America. Founded on August 12, 1821 in the city of Buenos Aires, it consists of 13 faculties, 6 hospitals, 10 museums and is linked to 4 high schools: Colegio Nacional de Buenos...
(UBA). He did postgraduate studies
Postgraduate education
Postgraduate education involves learning and studying for degrees or other qualifications for which a first or Bachelor's degree generally is required, and is normally considered to be part of higher education...
on Sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
at the University of Madrid
University of Madrid
The Complutense University of Madrid is a public university in Madrid, Spain, and one of the oldest universities in the world.The University of Madrid may also refer to:* The Autonomous University of Madrid, a public university founded in 1968...
, and on Political Science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
at the Political Studies Institute of Madrid. Since 1987 he has been a professor of Political Law at UBA. From the mid-1980s until the 1990s he was a visiting professor and researcher at the University of Harvard.
Media career
Mr. Grondona directed a magazine, Visión, between 1978 and 1995. He was the international news writer for the daily newspaper La NaciónLa Nación
La Nación is an Argentine daily newspaper. The country's leading conservative paper, the centrist Clarín is its main competitor. It is the only newspaper in Argentina still published in broadsheet format.-Overview:...
between 1987 and 1996, and later become a political op-ed writer in the same newspaper, a position he still holds .
Grondona appeared alongside Bernardo Neustadt in leading political opinion TV show Tiempo Nuevo until the pair split up in 1986. Since 1989, he hosts his own weekly program.
In 1997 he received the Platinum- and Diamond Konex Award
Konex Award
Konex Foundation awards, or simple Konex awards are cultural awards from the Konex Foundation to Argentine cultural personalities.Created in 1980, where conceived as a way to reward the Argentine personalities and institutions of different fields, as well as to stimulate the beginners.Even though...
for Communication-Journalism, and have been awarded the Konnex Merit Diploma on the field of Political Analysis in 1987.
During the 2000s he has hosted two radio shows, Las claves del día and Pensando con Mariano Grondona.
Political standing
Grondona's views are considered right wingRight-wing politics
In politics, Right, right-wing and rightist generally refer to support for a hierarchical society justified on the basis of an appeal to natural law or tradition. To varying degrees, the Right rejects the egalitarian objectives of left-wing politics, claiming that the imposition of equality is...
, with a strong Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
element (as opposed to the more liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
ideology of other right-wing opinion leaders such as the late Álvaro Alsogaray
Álvaro Alsogaray
Álvaro Carlos Alsogaray was an Argentine politician and businessman. Minister of Economy during much of the 1959-62 period, he was one of the principal proponents of economic conservatism in modern Argentina.-Early career:...
). In matters of Argentine foreign policy, he favors alignment with the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
In the mid-1960s, Grondona supported the coup that brought dictator Juan Carlos Onganía
Juan Carlos Onganía
Juan Carlos Onganía Carballo was de facto president of Argentina from 29 June 1966 to 8 June 1970. He rose to power as military dictator after toppling, in a coup d’état self-named Revolución Argentina , the democratically elected president Arturo Illia .-Economic and social...
to the presidency, and later held public office in his government, although he grew disappointed and was later dismissed. He stated that he "had tried to make a De Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
of Onganía, and got a Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
instead".
In the 1970s Grondona was a supporter of presidents Héctor José Cámpora
Héctor José Cámpora
Héctor José Cámpora Demaestre was president of Argentina from 25 May until 13 July 1973.Cámpora, affectionately known as el Tío , was born in the city of Mercedes, in the Province of Buenos Aires...
and 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...
. After Perón's death during his term, Grondona supported the policies of Isabel Perón's Welfare Minister José López Rega
José López Rega
José López Rega was Argentina's Minister of Social Welfare during the Peronist government started in 1973 by Juan Perón and continued after Perón's death in 1974 by his third wife and vice-president, Isabel Martínez de Perón , until the coup d'etat of 1976 that initiated the so-called National...
, founder of the Argentine Anti-Communist Alliance.
As Isabel Perón's government fell apart, he advocated the participation of the military, and welcomed the beginning of the National Reorganization Process
National 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...
in 1976. A non-authorized biography of Grondona, El Doctor, by Martín Sivak
Martín Sivak
Martín Sivak is an Argentinian journalist and author. His non-fiction books include works on the Bolivian Presidents Juan José Torres, Hugo Banzer and Evo Morales.-Books:...
(2005), pointed out that he worked as an advisor of military junta member Brigadier Basilio Lami Dozo
Basilio Lami Dozo
Brigadier General Basilio Arturo Ignacio Lami Dozo was a member of the Argentine Air Force.He participated in the military dictatorship known as the National Reorganisation Process and, along with Leopoldo Fortunato Galtieri and Jorge Isaac Anaya, was a member of the Third Military Junta that...
, on whose request he wrote a government programme titled Bases Políticas para la Reorganización Nacional (echoing Juan Bautista Alberdi
Juan Bautista Alberdi
Juan Bautista Alberdi was an Argentine political theorist and diplomat. Although he lived most of his life in exile in Montevideo and Chile, he was one of the most influential Argentine liberals of his age.-Biography:...
's Bases and Points of Departure for the Political Organization of the Argentine Republic).
Grondona was one of the few leading intellectuals that opposed the Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1984 between Chile and Argentina
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...
, calling for a "No" vote in that year's referendum on whether to accept the mediation of the Holy See in a border dispute with Chile.
In his program "Hora Clave" on March 16, 2003, he declared about the dictatorship in Argentina from 1976 to 1983 that "The rational behavior, in any war, is to be on the side of the winners". On the day of former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet's death, he declared in the same program that "If Allende had stayed in power, Chile would have probably become a communist country", as well as "I can understand that someone that has a fascist ideology, will try to live by what he considers his "principles" [...], but what really disappointed me is the fact that he had bank accounts in Switzerland. That is intolerable".