Bella Vista, Tucumán
Encyclopedia
Bella Vista is a small city in southeastern Tucumán Province
, Argentina
. It is located 25 km (15.5 mi) south of the provincial capital of Tucumán.
production, as well as a silkworm farm. García also established a planned community
for his employees, consisting of a row of homes lining Avenida de las Moreras, and with the establishment of the Norwinco match
factory and other employers, Bella Vista became a small urban center by the time García's farm was sold during a sugar commodity market crisis in 1965.
Luis "Lucho" Díaz, the town Justice of the Peace
during the 1960s, was a published poet who contributed significantly to Bella Vista's cultural life, helping establish the Centro Juvenil Cultural and the Teatro Vocacional de Bella Vista. The late 1960s, which coincided with the President Juan Carlos Onganía
's cancellation of sugar subsidies, and the resulting closure of numerous large mills, also made the town a center of labor union activity. Led by a Bella Vista local, Atilio Santillán, the Sugar Workers' Federation of Tucumán (FOTIA) grew to include over 70,000 members. Opposition from Tucumán authorities led to their persecution during the Operativo Independencia
offensive of 1975, in addition to which a conflict with the far-left People's Revolutionary Army
(ERP) band arose, leading to Santillán's death on March 22, 1976 (an unsolved mystery). The sugar mill, which had been purchased by the CONASA state sugar concern in 1973, was privatized in 1977.
The town's numerous governmental controversies since 1999 have earned it significant notoriety throughout the Province of Tucumán.
ed fortune teller, received the highest number of votes for any city council candidate in elections held in 2003, entitling him to the post of City Counsil President. Humano's previous occupation, as well as his sexuality, caused tensions among members of the city council, however, a situation aggravated by his attending council meetings as a woman.
Humano's election sparked significant controversy among local politicians and some local residents. As a result of significant political and local pressure, provincial governor Jose Alperovich
suspended the Bella Vista council. The city continues to operate under the sole direction of the mayor.
In support of their allegations that upwards of 4 million Argentine peso
s allocated for construction of surface irrigation
canals had been misappropriated, Décima and Coronel published a series of photographs displaying areas of the city where no work had been done. Décima and Coronel claim the city could not account for how the funds had actually been spent, and have accused Espeche, who has been in sole control of city finances since the dissolution of the city council, of using the funds to bribe voters and ensure a victory for his candidacy. Although no charges have been filed, Décima has threatened to pursue an official inquiry into the matter.
Tucumán Province
Tucumán is the most densely populated, and the smallest by land area, of the provinces of Argentina. Located in the northwest of the country, the capital is San Miguel de Tucumán, often shortened to Tucumán. Neighboring provinces are, clockwise from the north: Salta, Santiago del Estero and...
, Argentina
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...
. It is located 25 km (15.5 mi) south of the provincial capital of Tucumán.
Overview
Known in its early years as Los Tres Bajos ("The Three Hollows"), Bella Vista grew around the sugar plantation of the same name. Founded in the early twentieth century by Manuel García Fernández, the plantation became known for his efforts to diversify its crop production. Faced with falling sugar prices, García invested in ethyl alcohol and celluloseCellulose
Cellulose is an organic compound with the formula , a polysaccharide consisting of a linear chain of several hundred to over ten thousand β linked D-glucose units....
production, as well as a silkworm farm. García also established a planned community
Planned community
A planned community, or planned city, is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed in a previously undeveloped area. This contrasts with settlements that evolve in a more ad hoc fashion. Land use conflicts are less frequent in planned communities since...
for his employees, consisting of a row of homes lining Avenida de las Moreras, and with the establishment of the Norwinco match
Match
A match is a tool for starting a fire under controlled conditions. A typical modern match is made of a small wooden stick or stiff paper. One end is coated with a material that can be ignited by frictional heat generated by striking the match against a suitable surface...
factory and other employers, Bella Vista became a small urban center by the time García's farm was sold during a sugar commodity market crisis in 1965.
Luis "Lucho" Díaz, the town Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
during the 1960s, was a published poet who contributed significantly to Bella Vista's cultural life, helping establish the Centro Juvenil Cultural and the Teatro Vocacional de Bella Vista. The late 1960s, which coincided with the President 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...
's cancellation of sugar subsidies, and the resulting closure of numerous large mills, also made the town a center of labor union activity. Led by a Bella Vista local, Atilio Santillán, the Sugar Workers' Federation of Tucumán (FOTIA) grew to include over 70,000 members. Opposition from Tucumán authorities led to their persecution during the Operativo Independencia
Operativo Independencia
Operativo Independencia was the code-name of the Argentine military operation in the Tucumán Province, started in 1975, to crush the ERP , a Guevarist guerrilla group which attempted to secede part of Tucuman as an independent nation, in the north-west of Argentina...
offensive of 1975, in addition to which a conflict with the far-left People's Revolutionary Army
People's Revolutionary Army
People's Revolutionary Army may refer to:*People's Revolutionary Army *People's Revolutionary Army *People's Revolutionary Army *People's Revolutionary Army *People's Revolutionary Army See also:...
(ERP) band arose, leading to Santillán's death on March 22, 1976 (an unsolved mystery). The sugar mill, which had been purchased by the CONASA state sugar concern in 1973, was privatized in 1977.
The town's numerous governmental controversies since 1999 have earned it significant notoriety throughout the Province of Tucumán.
Suspension of City Council
Rodi Humano, an openly transgenderTransgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
ed fortune teller, received the highest number of votes for any city council candidate in elections held in 2003, entitling him to the post of City Counsil President. Humano's previous occupation, as well as his sexuality, caused tensions among members of the city council, however, a situation aggravated by his attending council meetings as a woman.
Humano's election sparked significant controversy among local politicians and some local residents. As a result of significant political and local pressure, provincial governor Jose Alperovich
José Alperovich
José Jorge Alperovich is an Argentine politician, currently the governor of Tucumán Province.Alperovich was born in Banda del Río Salí to Israeli parents, in 1955. He enrolled at the University of Tucumán, and graduated as an accountant...
suspended the Bella Vista council. The city continues to operate under the sole direction of the mayor.
Mayoral election fraud allegations
In 2007, José Domingo Décima and José Coronel, former candidates for the office of mayor of Bella Vista, alleged that the incumbent mayor, Luis Espeche, had misappropriated city funds in exchange for votes to ensure his re-election victory.In support of their allegations that upwards of 4 million Argentine peso
Argentine peso
The peso is the currency of Argentina, identified by the symbol $ preceding the amount in the same way as many countries using dollar currencies. It is subdivided into 100 centavos. Its ISO 4217 code is ARS...
s allocated for construction of surface irrigation
Surface irrigation
Surface irrigation is defined as the group of application techniques where water is applied and distributed over the soil surface by gravity. It is by far the most common form of irrigation throughout the world and has been practiced in many areas virtually unchanged for thousands of years.Surface...
canals had been misappropriated, Décima and Coronel published a series of photographs displaying areas of the city where no work had been done. Décima and Coronel claim the city could not account for how the funds had actually been spent, and have accused Espeche, who has been in sole control of city finances since the dissolution of the city council, of using the funds to bribe voters and ensure a victory for his candidacy. Although no charges have been filed, Décima has threatened to pursue an official inquiry into the matter.