The Argentine Coup
The arbitrary regime of Dr. Castillo, late President of Argentina, has been brought to an end by a coup d'etat in which troops led by General Rawson and General Ramirez played the decisive part. Dr. Castillo has been in effect a dictator, retaining the so-called " state of siege " which enabled him to harness the Press, silence critical opinion and carry on a policy of " neutrality " which proved highly favourable to Axis propaganda. Under his rule Argentina has ploughed a lonely furrow as the only country in Latin-America which maintains relations with the Axis Powers. But while the popular feeling aroused by the arbitrariness of his Government and the exclusion of Argentina from the benefits of co-operation with the rest of America was a necessary background for a bloodless revolution, it is admitted that the immediate cause of the coup was Dr. Castillo's choice of his successor to the Presidency. It is not yet certain that the generals who have turned him out contemplate a complete reversal of policy, still less that they intend to restore the reality of democracy. General Rawson, his first successor after the coup, proved incapable of forming a Government, and General Ramirez has taken his place. The latter has issued a strongly nationalist statement, and declares that Argentina's policy " at the moment' continues to be one of neutrality. A later declaration, foreshadows acts that " will draw us even nearer to our American brothers," and there are signs that General Ramirez intends to have proper elections properly held. Argentina's democratic neighbour, Uruguay, takes a hopeful view of the prospects, but London and Washington are rightly waiting till the outlook becomes clearer.
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