Alberto Balestrini Explained

Alberto Balestrini
Office:Vice Governor of Buenos Aires
Term Start:10 December 2007
Term End:7 April 2010
Governor:Daniel Scioli
Predecessor:Graciela Giannettasio
Successor:Gabriel Mariotto
Office1:President of the Chamber of Deputies
Term Start1:10 December 2005
Term End1:10 December 2007
Predecessor1:Eduardo Camaño
Successor1:Eduardo Fellner
Office2:National Deputy
Term Start2:10 December 2005
Term End2:10 December 2007
Constituency2:Buenos Aires
Term Start3:10 December 1991
Term End3:10 December 1995
Constituency3:Buenos Aires
Office4:Mayor of La Matanza
Term Start4:10 December 1999
Term End4:10 December 2005
Predecessor4:Francisco Di Leva
Successor4:Fernando Espinoza
Office5:Provincial Senator of Buenos Aires
Term Start5:10 December 1995
Term End5:10 December 1999
Constituency5:Third Electoral Section
Birth Date:9 March 1947
Birth Place:Buenos Aires, Argentina
Death Place:Banfield, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina
Party:Justicialist Party
Alma Mater:Universidad del Salvador

Alberto Edgardo Balestrini (9 March 1947 – 4 April 2017) was an Argentine politician of the Justicialist Party. Balestrini held a number of important posts throughout his career: he served as Vice Governor of Buenos Aires Province under Daniel Scioli from 2007 to 2010, as President of the Argentine Chamber of Deputies from 2005 to 2007, and as intendente (mayor) of La Matanza from 1999 to 2005.

In addition, Balestrini served as a member of the Buenos Aires provincial senate, and as president of the Buenos Aires Province chapter of the Justicialist Party. Balestrini's career was cut short by a debilitating stroke in April 2010, following which he retired from politics in order to recover. He died in 2017, aged 70.

Early life and education

Alberto Balestrini was born on 9 March 1947 in Buenos Aires.[1] [2] His father was a Peronist military officer who was forced into exile in 1955 following the coup of the Revolución Libertadora and the ensuing dictatorship; for this reason, Balestrini spent part of his childhood in Chile.[3]

Balestrini studied magistracy at the Instituto Padre Elizalde in Ciudadela. In the 1970s he began his political career in the students' union of the Universidad del Salvador, from which he attained his law degree in 1975.[4] During the last military dictatorship (1976–1983), Balestrini worked with Father Carlos Mugica.[5]

Political career

Balestrini began his career in the Justicialist Party under the wing of Alberto Pierri, an important Justicialist leader in La Matanza. When Pierri backed Carlos Menem's re-election campaign in 1999, however, Balestrini backed Eduardo Duhalde in the Justicialist Party primaries.[6] Duhalde then selected Balestrini as the mayoral candidate in that year's election in La Matanza.[7] Balestrini ran against Alliance candidate Lidia "Pinky" Satragno; upon his victory, the Justicialist Party continued its streak as the sole ruling party in the district since 1983.[2]

Toward the end of the 1990s, Balestrini formed, alongside Julio Alak and Juan José Álvarez, a trio of promising young Justicialist politicians known as the "Three Musketeers".[8] Balestrini maintained amicable relations with the Piquetero leaders Juan Carlos Alderete and Luis D'Elía.[9]

After being elected to the Argentine Chamber of Deputies for a second time in 2005, Balestrini was voted as the new president of the Chamber, a post he held until 2007. At the 2007 provincial elections in Buenos Aires, Balestrini was Daniel Scioli's running mate in the Justicialist Party–Front for Victory gubernatorial ticket. Scioli and Balestrini won the election with 49% of the votes, ahead of the Civic Coalition candidate Margarita Stolbizer.[4]

In December 2008, Balestrini was elected as the new president of the Buenos Aires Province chapter of the Justicialist Party.[10]

Later years and death

On 7 April 2010, Balestrini suffered a debilitating stroke and was interned at the Policlínico General San Martín in La Plata.[11] As he was unfit for office, he was succeeded in his posts; by Gabriel Mariotto as Vice Governor of Buenos Aires and by Hugo Moyano as president of the Buenos Aires PJ. Balestrini never fully recovered and wouldn't walk on his own again until 2013.[12]

Balestrini died in the early morning of 11 April 2017, in a private clinic in Banfield.[13]

Bibliography

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Notes and References

  1. Web site: Balestrini, un dirigente del corazón del Conurbano. El Día. 29 October 2007. 9 July 2021. es.
  2. Web site: El garante de la paz bonaerense. La Nación. 16 September 2007. 9 July 2021. Casas. Daniel. es.
  3. Web site: "Carlos Correa presenta su nuevo libro sobre Alberto Balestrini". Estirpe Nacional. 19 September 2017. 9 July 2021. es.
  4. Web site: Un símbolo del peronismo bonaerense. Página/12. 12 April 2017. 9 July 2021. es.
  5. Web site: Murió Alberto Balestrini. Página/12. 11 April 2017. 9 July 2021. es.
  6. O'Donnell (2012), p. 206.
  7. O'Donnell (2012), p. 209.
  8. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20170414164438/http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1148321-todo-un-equilibrista-de-las-internas-del-peronismo. La Nación. Todo un equilibrista de las internas del peronismo. Morosi. Pablo. 8 July 2009. 9 July 2021. 14 April 2017. es.
  9. Web site: El juego político en los municipios. Clarín. 25 January 2003. 9 July 2021. es.
  10. Web site: Dolor por la muerte de Balestrini. Tiempo Argentino. 11 April 2017. 9 July 2021. es.
  11. Web site: Balestrini fue operado de urgencia. Página/12. Piqué. Martín. 8 April 2010. 9 July 2021. es.
  12. Web site: Alberto Balestrini volvió a caminar tras sufrir el ACV. InfoNews. 22 January 2013. 9 July 2021. es.
  13. Web site: Murió el ex vicegobernador bonaerense Alberto Balestrini. Télam. 11 April 2017. 9 July 2021. es.