Juan Pistarini
Encyclopedia
Juan Pistarini was an Argentine
general and politician.
Pistarini was born in the town of Victorica
, La Pampa Province
. An Army major by 1921, he was a close associate of General Agustín Justo. President Justo appointed Pistarini Minister of Public Works in 1935, and Pistarini's first important initiative was for the construction of a new international airport
outside Buenos Aires
. He was proroted to the rank of general in 1937 and, between then and 1940, was stationed in Germany
and Italy
. Appointed Director of Army Engineers upon his return, Pistarini recommended German contractors for public works in Argentina and was open regarding his Nazi and Fascist sympathies. His role in the 1943 coup d'état
resulted in his being returned to the post of Minister of Public Works and briefly, Vice President. He resuscitated the project for the international airport and administered the ambitious public works agenda set by President Juan Perón
when the populist leader took office in 1946. He oversaw and helped plan the construction or development of modern barracks, Argentina's first expressways, numerous public vacation resorts, several thousand schools, water treatment plants, a modern merchant marine, 650,000 housing units and the planting of two million trees, among other works. He also marshalled the dormant National Mortgage Bank to extend subsidized loans to new homeowners, often at interest rates well below inflation. Ill health led to his retirement in June 1952 and following Perón's September 1955 overthrow, he had his property seized, was stripped of rank and imprisoned in Ushuaia
. The sub-Antarctic climate in Ushuaia led to a worsening in Pistarini's health, and he was returned to Buenos Aires, where he died at a military hospital in 1956.
The Ministro Pistarini International Airport
of Buenos Aires
, opened in 1950 in nearby Ezeiza, is named after him.
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...
general and politician.
Pistarini was born in the town of Victorica
Victorica
Victorica is a town in La Pampa Province in Argentina.-References:...
, La Pampa Province
La Pampa Province
La Pampa is a sparsely populated province of Argentina, located in the Pampas in the center of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the north clockwise San Luis, Córdoba, Buenos Aires, Río Negro, Neuquén and Mendoza.-History:...
. An Army major by 1921, he was a close associate of General Agustín Justo. President Justo appointed Pistarini Minister of Public Works in 1935, and Pistarini's first important initiative was for the construction of a new international airport
International airport
An international airport is any airport that can accommodate flights from other countries and are typically equipped with customs and immigration facilities to handle these flights to and from other countries...
outside Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
. He was proroted to the rank of general in 1937 and, between then and 1940, was stationed in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Appointed Director of Army Engineers upon his return, Pistarini recommended German contractors for public works in Argentina and was open regarding his Nazi and Fascist sympathies. His role in the 1943 coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
resulted in his being returned to the post of Minister of Public Works and briefly, Vice President. He resuscitated the project for the international airport and administered the ambitious public works agenda set by President 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...
when the populist leader took office in 1946. He oversaw and helped plan the construction or development of modern barracks, Argentina's first expressways, numerous public vacation resorts, several thousand schools, water treatment plants, a modern merchant marine, 650,000 housing units and the planting of two million trees, among other works. He also marshalled the dormant National Mortgage Bank to extend subsidized loans to new homeowners, often at interest rates well below inflation. Ill health led to his retirement in June 1952 and following Perón's September 1955 overthrow, he had his property seized, was stripped of rank and imprisoned in Ushuaia
Ushuaia
Ushuaia may refer to the following:*Ushuaia, a city in Argentina.**Ushuaia Department, an administrative division**Ushuaia River**Ushuaia International Airport**Colegio Nacional de Ushuaia, National School of Ushuaia....
. The sub-Antarctic climate in Ushuaia led to a worsening in Pistarini's health, and he was returned to Buenos Aires, where he died at a military hospital in 1956.
The Ministro Pistarini International Airport
Ministro Pistarini International Airport
Ministro Pistarini International Airport , more commonly known as Ezeiza International Airport owing to its location within the Ezeiza Partido in the Greater Buenos Aires, is an international airport located south-southwest of Buenos Aires, the capital city of Argentina...
of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, opened in 1950 in nearby Ezeiza, is named after him.