Partido
Encyclopedia
A partido is an administrative subdivision of the . They are formally considered to be a single municipality
, and usually contain one or more population centers (i.e. towns and cities). These are distinct from all other provinces of Argentina
, which call their first-level subdivisions departamento (see Departments of Argentina
), and are further subdivided into distinct municipalities.
or cabildo
established the first partidos in the countryside: San Isidro del Pago de la Costa (San Isidro
) in 1779 and San Vicente
, Quilmes
, Magdalena
, La Matanza
, Cañada de Morón (Morón
), Las Conchas (Tigre
) and San Pedro
in 1784.
At the head of every partido the cabildo appointed a rural judge called Alcalde de la Santa Hermandad.
The judge or alcalde (from Arabic al-qadi
( قاضي,), meaning "the judge") had the mission to maintain the law and order in the surrounding rural area of Buenos Aires, fighting against cattle raiders
. The alcalde was helped by a constabulary
called Santa Hermandad (in English
, Holy Brotherhood) created in the late 15th century by the Catholic Monarchs
and transplanted to the colonies.
In 1821 the Governor Martín Rodríguez and his minister Bernardino Rivadavia
dissolved the cabildo and since then was the governor itself who appointed the judge, now called Juez de Paz (in English, Justice of Peace).
In 1856 the office of Juez de Paz was replaced by a Presidente de la Municipalidad or Municipal President. It was appointed by the Governor from a list of three candidates presented by the Municipales or Councillors, who were elected by the citizens of the different partidos.
Since 1890 the head of the government is called Intendente (Intendant), or Mayor
, and it is directly elected by the citizens.
On October 24, 1864 the Legislature of the Province of Buenos Aires sanctioned law № 422 dividing the province into 45 partidos: Arrecifes, Baradero, Barrancas al Sud (Avellaneda), Belgrano (Barrio Belgrano
), Cañuelas, Carmen de Areco, Chacabuco, Chascomús, Chivilcoy, del Pilar, Ensenada, Exaltación de la Cruz, General las Heras, General San Martín, Giles, Junín , Matanza, Las Conchas (Tigre), Lobos, Lomas de Zamora, Luján, Magdalena, Mercedes, Merlo, Monte, Moreno, Morón, Navarro, Pergamino, Quilmes, Ramallo, Ranchos, Rivadavia, Rojas, Salto, San Antonio, San Fernando, San Isidro, San José de Flores (Barrio Flores
), San Nicolás, San Pedro, San Vicente, Suipacha, Viedma and Zárate.
Every partido is administrated by a municipality. It is divided in an executive and a legislative branch: the mayor
or intendente and the city council
or consejo deliberante, respectively. The municipality is a strong mayor-council form of government.
The mayor is elected to four-year terms and can be reelected indefinitely.
The City Council is a unicameral body consisting and one-half of the members are elected every two years to serve four-year term.
The mayor and councilors can be reelected indefinitely.
The number of councillors depends on the population of every partido.
According to decret-law 6769/58 the number of councillors varies as follows:
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
, and usually contain one or more population centers (i.e. towns and cities). These are distinct from all other provinces of Argentina
Provinces of Argentina
Argentina is subdivided into twenty-three provinces and one autonomous city...
, which call their first-level subdivisions departamento (see Departments of Argentina
Departments of Argentina
Departments form the second level of administrative division in the provinces of Argentina. There are no departments in the city of Buenos Aires, which has so far been divided into neighbourhoods as its administrative divisions, but is to be divided now into communes by a recently passed local act...
), and are further subdivided into distinct municipalities.
History
By the end of 17th century the municipal council of Buenos AiresBuenos 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...
or cabildo
Cabildo (council)
For a discussion of the contemporary Spanish and Latin American cabildo, see Ayuntamiento.A cabildo or ayuntamiento was a former Spanish, colonial administrative council that governed a municipality. Cabildos were sometimes appointed, sometimes elected, but were considered to be representative of...
established the first partidos in the countryside: San Isidro del Pago de la Costa (San Isidro
San Isidro Partido
San Isidro is a partido of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina found in the north of Greater Buenos Aires. Its capital is the city of San Isidro. It is from the city of Buenos Aires....
) in 1779 and San Vicente
San Vicente Partido
San Vicente Partido is a partido located in the centre-east of Buenos Aires Province in Argentina.The provincial subdivision has a population of about 45,000 inhabitants in an area of 666 km², and its capital city is San Vicente, which is located around 52 km from Buenos...
, Quilmes
Quilmes Partido
Quilmes is a partido of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, within the Gran Buenos Aires conurbation.It has an area of 125 square kilometres, and a population of 580,829 , making it the third most populus partido in the Gran Buenos Aires...
, Magdalena
Magdalena Partido
Magdalena Partido is a partido located in the north eastern part of Buenos Aires Province in Argentina.The provincial subdivision has a population of about 16,000 inhabitants in an area of , and its capital city is Magdalena, which is located from Buenos Aires.-Settlements:*Magdalena*General...
, La Matanza
La Matanza Partido
La Matanza is a partido located in the Greater Buenos Aires in Buenos Aires Province in Argentina....
, Cañada de Morón (Morón
Morón Partido
Morón is a partido of the Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. Located in the Greater Buenos Aires urban area, its head town is Morón which is located around 17 km from Buenos Aires....
), Las Conchas (Tigre
Tigre Partido
Tigre Partido is a partido or municipality of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, situated in the north of Greater Buenos Aires. The department covers a large section of the Paraná Delta and its low-lying islands...
) and San Pedro
San Pedro Partido
San Pedro Partido is a partido located in the north of the Argentine province of Buenos Aires, whose capital city is San Pedro. With an area of 1,322 km2, the county population was 55,234 .-Economy:...
in 1784.
At the head of every partido the cabildo appointed a rural judge called Alcalde de la Santa Hermandad.
The judge or alcalde (from Arabic al-qadi
Qadi
Qadi is a judge ruling in accordance with Islamic religious law appointed by the ruler of a Muslim country. Because Islam makes no distinction between religious and secular domains, qadis traditionally have jurisdiction over all legal matters involving Muslims...
( قاضي,), meaning "the judge") had the mission to maintain the law and order in the surrounding rural area of Buenos Aires, fighting against cattle raiders
Cattle raiding
Cattle raiding is the act of stealing cattle.In Australia, such stealing is often referred to as duffing, and the person as a duffer...
. The alcalde was helped by a constabulary
Constabulary
Constabulary may have several definitions.*A civil, non-paramilitary force consisting of police officers called constables. This is the usual definition in Britain, in which all county police forces once bore the title...
called Santa Hermandad (in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Holy Brotherhood) created in the late 15th century by the Catholic Monarchs
Catholic Monarchs
The Catholic Monarchs is the collective title used in history for Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon. They were both from the House of Trastámara and were second cousins, being both descended from John I of Castile; they were given a papal dispensation to deal with...
and transplanted to the colonies.
In 1821 the Governor Martín Rodríguez and his minister Bernardino Rivadavia
Bernardino Rivadavia
Bernardino de la Trinidad Gónzalez Rivadavia y Rivadavia was the first president of Argentina, from February 8, 1826 to July 7, 1827 . He was a politician of the United Provinces of Río de la Plata, Argentina today...
dissolved the cabildo and since then was the governor itself who appointed the judge, now called Juez de Paz (in English, Justice of Peace).
In 1856 the office of Juez de Paz was replaced by a Presidente de la Municipalidad or Municipal President. It was appointed by the Governor from a list of three candidates presented by the Municipales or Councillors, who were elected by the citizens of the different partidos.
Since 1890 the head of the government is called Intendente (Intendant), or Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
, and it is directly elected by the citizens.
On October 24, 1864 the Legislature of the Province of Buenos Aires sanctioned law № 422 dividing the province into 45 partidos: Arrecifes, Baradero, Barrancas al Sud (Avellaneda), Belgrano (Barrio Belgrano
Belgrano, Buenos Aires
Belgrano is a leafy, northern barrio or neighborhood of the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina.- Location :The barrio of Palermo is to the southeast; Nuñez is to the northwest; Coghlan, Villa Urquiza, Villa Ortúzar and Colegiales are to the southwest....
), Cañuelas, Carmen de Areco, Chacabuco, Chascomús, Chivilcoy, del Pilar, Ensenada, Exaltación de la Cruz, General las Heras, General San Martín, Giles, Junín , Matanza, Las Conchas (Tigre), Lobos, Lomas de Zamora, Luján, Magdalena, Mercedes, Merlo, Monte, Moreno, Morón, Navarro, Pergamino, Quilmes, Ramallo, Ranchos, Rivadavia, Rojas, Salto, San Antonio, San Fernando, San Isidro, San José de Flores (Barrio Flores
Flores, Buenos Aires
Flores is a middle class barrio or district in the centre part of Buenos Aires city, Argentina. Flores was considered a rural area of the Province of Buenos Aires until 1888 when it was integrated to the City....
), San Nicolás, San Pedro, San Vicente, Suipacha, Viedma and Zárate.
Government
| Population | Councillors |
|---|---|
| at most 5,000 | 6 |
| 5,000-10,000 | 10 |
| 10,000-20,000 | 12 |
| 20,000-30,000 | 14 |
| 30,000-40,000 | 16 |
| 40,000-80,000 | 18 |
| 80,000-200,000 | 20 |
| more than 200,000 | 24 |
Every partido is administrated by a municipality. It is divided in an executive and a legislative branch: the mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
or intendente and the city council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
or consejo deliberante, respectively. The municipality is a strong mayor-council form of government.
The mayor is elected to four-year terms and can be reelected indefinitely.
The City Council is a unicameral body consisting and one-half of the members are elected every two years to serve four-year term.
The mayor and councilors can be reelected indefinitely.
The number of councillors depends on the population of every partido.
According to decret-law 6769/58 the number of councillors varies as follows:
See also
- Gobierno de Buenos Aires - Official website of the government of the Province of Buenos Aires.