Menem's Second Presidency and Political Pragmatism
📌 Carlos Menem's political success involved extreme pragmatism, leveraging policy to maintain or increase power.
🏛️ This included a reform of the Supreme Court, expanding it to nine members to secure a court "addicted to Menemism" in judicial matters.
⚖️ The use of the "per saltum" mechanism allowed direct appeal to the Supreme Court, often resulting in favorable rulings for the government.
📺 There was an increase in "videopolitics," where policy was disseminated through TV studios featuring journalists aligned with Menem's economic structure.

Constitutional Reform and Political Alliances
🤝 A major political event in late 1993 was the Pact of Olivos with Alfonsín, leading to the 1994 Constitutional Reform.
📜 This reform enabled Menem's reelection in 1995, reduced the presidential term from six to four years, and introduced the direct election of the president, as well as the figure of the Chief of Cabinet.

Foreign Relations and Domestic Consequences
💣 The administration's alignment with the US, termed "carnal relations," led to international actions but also domestic tragedies like the Israeli embassy bombing.
🛡️ Key actions included the indults for former military leaders and the end of compulsory military service following the death of conscript Carrasco.
📉 The perceived economic boom masked severe issues, including rising unemployment and informal labor, fueling social unrest (e.g., *carpa blanca*, piquetes, Cutral Có).

Decline and Transition of Power
🚫 Starting around 1995, economic crises (1995, 1997, 1998) fueled strong internal resistance within Peronism, such as the "Group of Eight."
🔎 Scandals mounted towards the end of the decade, including "Swiftgate," "Narco-gate," and the illegal arms sales to Croatia and Ecuador, eroding public trust.
🗳️ The Menem era concluded with the 1999 elections, where an alliance between Radicalism and sectors of Peronism brought Fernando de la Rúa and Chacho Álvarez to power, promising an end to corruption.

Key Points & Insights
➡️ Menem secured judicial compliance through the expansion of the Supreme Court to nine members, ensuring a favorable judicial outlook.
➡️ The Pact of Olivos (1994) was a crucial political maneuver allowing Menem's immediate re-election and structural changes to the political system.
➡️ Social unrest, characterized by **piquetes and the *carpa blanca*, directly resulted from the social impact of the neoliberal model.
➡️ The administration transitioned from perceived success to collapse due to accumulating corruption scandals** culminating in the 1999 election loss.

📸 Video summarized with SummaryTube.com on Oct 10, 2025, 18:06 UTC