Between 1976-1983 Argentina underwent some of its darkest years in which de facto rulers imposed a right wing military dictatorship which claimed to strive for economic recovery via a 'National Reorganisation Process'. This involved thousands of unexplained 'disappearances', lives lost, families separated and violence to keep people in line with the wishes of the government.
The culminating economic problems that this period caused the country, topped off with being defeated by the UK in the Falklands War in 1982 led to the end of the dictatorship and finally, in 1983 Raúl Alfonsin took control. During his six year reign Argentina began to resemble more closely the Argentina we know and love today. A contract was signed with Brazil to put in place the basis of Mercosur, which today includes Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru and operates as the largest trading bloc in South America.
In 1989 Peronist Carlos Menem was voted into power, however he proceeded to go against many of Perón's original policies and his actions sparked the Piquetero movement in which unemployed workers (predominantly women) protested for their rights.
Click on the link to read about Argentina's Modern History and Politics.
