Starting Over

A leader begins, a lady returns

In the brilliant sunshine of a late spring morning, he drove slowly through downtown Buenos Aires in a 1967 Rambler Ambassador to the cavernous old congress building. Inside, he solemnly swore to discharge his responsibilities, and delivered an eloquent, hourlong statement of his new administration's ambitions. "The state in which we have received the country is deplorable and catastrophic," he declared. "Our goal will be that Argentina becomes free once again, grand, fraternal and prosperous, the way we all want it to be." Then the genial new leader motored through flag-decked streets to the Presidential Palace. As foreign delegations looked on, the head of the discredited military regime, retired General Reynaldo Bignone, placed the sky-blue-and-white presidential sash over the shoulders of Raul Alfonsin, 56.

After eight years of disastrous and sometimes murderous rule by the military, Argentina had officially returned to democracy. That was reason enough for celebration. But the smashing victory by Alfonsin and his centrist Radical Civic Union party in elections six weeks ago amounted to a stinging repudiation of the once dominant Peronist party. Peronism's authoritarianism, irresponsible economic programs and obsessive devotion to the memory of its founder, the late dictator Juan Perdn, had exhausted the Argentines' patience. Now, in a remarkable display of confidence, they have pinned their hopes on Alfonsin. In a poll published in the respected newspaper La Nation last week, the public awarded him 8.9 points for leadership qualities out of a possible 10.

Alfonsin will need all the support he can muster to extricate Argentina from its political and economic quagmire. On the eve of the inauguration, after 2 1/2 years of self-imposed exile in Spain, where she had fled following a ruinous term as President, Juan Peron's widow Isabel flew into Buenos Aires as Alfonsin's guest at the ceremony. Whether Isabelita plans to lead a regrouping of the ragged Peronist ranks is unclear, but if she assumes a major role in the party, it could spark bitter feuding between her supporters and foes.

Alfonsin must also deal subtly with the armed forces. He has already pledged to repeal a law passed by the junta last September that effectively pardoned the military for any role in the "dirty war" of the 1970s, in which an estimated 6,000 people disappeared. But a full inquiry would alienate the generals, who might later look for reasons to mount a coup.

Last week, in a development that could help mollify the military, the U.S. certified that Argentina had shown improvement in dealing with human rights, citing the elections and a virtual end to the "disappearances." The certification lifts an arms-sale ban that dates back to 1978. However, Alfonsin has sought to down-play the shift, noting that his plans to cut the military budget will leave no room for additional arms purchases. Britain, which had opposed certification following its war with Argentina over the Falkland Islands, reacted with restraint to the decision. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher even sent Alfonsin a congratulatory message on his inauguration.

Perhaps the most intractable problem Alfonsin faces, however, is the Argentine economy. The nation's $40 billion foreign debt has pushed it to the brink of international default, while at home Argentines luffer under triple-digit inflation and 15% unemployment. The new government's economic plans are a closely guarded secret, but initial measures are expected to include price controls and selective cuts in spending. Alfonsin's ability to restore a semblance of order to Argentina's tattered economy may be the most imporant barometer of his success. This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so viewer discretion is required.