An Argentine democrat

A flawed politician of rare integrityHE WAS perhaps the only Argentine political leader of recent times who deserved to be called a statesman. Raul Alfonsin, a lawyer and lifelong Radical politician who died on March 31st at the age of 82, was justifiably seen as the father of his countrys current period of democracy. His victory in a presidential election in 1983 not only marked the end of the regions most vicious military dictatorship, during which at least 9,000 Argentines disappeared. It also marked the first time the Peronist movement was defeated in a free election. Mr Alfonsin won widespread praise for putting the dictators on trial (some were jailed) as well as setting up a truth commission into the political violence and repression of the 1970s. It helped that Argentinas humiliation in the Falklands war had discredited the generals. But when several coup attempts followed, Mr Alfonsin felt he had no option but to halt further trials. That was partly because he had been weakened by his mishandling of the economy. An old-fashioned populist, he failed to understand that drastic reform was needed. When hyperinflation culminated in disorder and looting, he stepped down five months before the end of his term.