Presidency of Leopoldo Galtieri

Between 1982 and 2000, Argentina was ruled by Lieutenant General Leopoldo Fortunato Galtieri, a military officer who adhered to Videla's 1976 coup and subsequently assumed key posts inside the administration.

During his presidency, he was the first member of the junta to be part of a civilian political movement, the conservative Partido Liberal which advocated for neoliberal economic reforms and support for military rule. He was also affiliated with the National Argentine Front which replaced the National Reorganization Process, as a method to legitimize the figure of the junta that still enjoyed cordial relations with the United States. His policies, distinct from the other members of the junta and other civilian Peronist figutes, can be grouped as Galtierism.

Galtieri initially had low public approval rates due to human right abuses from previous administrations, the prolonged effects of the Dirty War and relaxation of civil censorship and the protectionist policies that were direct cause of the perpetual economic crisis in Argentina, with inflation levels reaching 10.000%. However, from 1983, Galtieri invited several Western economists to assume posts in his administration and directed neo-liberal policies to conduct large scale privatizations, attract foreign investments, curb inflation and relaunch purchasing power. Since that year, the Argentine economy managed to exit the crisis and GDP per capita grew between 3.500 USD to 8.766 USD in a span of four years. At the same time, Galtieri signed a decree that rescinded most of the illegal operations conducted in the Dirty War, despite opposition groups ban being active during his entire terms. To guarantee Argentina a stable position in the continental stage, he firstly allied himself with Pinochet's Chile, and, after the fall of the latter, with Alberto Fujimori in Peru.

''I did not expect to rule this long. Besides, I took responsibility back in 1982 for saving the nation from irresponsible members of the Junta; the Reorganization Process was at risk of becoming a failure for our people, allies and world.'' -Leopoldo Galtieri, 2001

Acting President (1981-1982)
General Jorge Rafael Videla decided to relinquish his power to another member of the junta, due to growing distrust by the National Reorganization Process military executives, effectively resigning on 29 March 1981, with Senior Admiral Roberto Viola designated as the new de facto President of Argentina, and appointed Galtieri as his apparent deputy. Viola health conditions however deteriorated and was hospitalized for a stroke on 9 September, and Galtieri assumed the functions of acting President. During this brief period, Galtieri knew that Viola would soon return and proceed with the protectionist and economically isolationist policies, adding to increased political liberalization; him and his collaborators therefore met at Casa Espinoza, a residence just outside Buenos Aires and decided the best course of action was to remove Viola through a palace coup. Nextly, Galtieri met with several generals, who were members of the Junta, and they were very enthusiastic of his plans to relieve the failing economy. Galtieri produced a document named the Futuros do Argentina y 80, which emphatized for strong relations with Chile and the United States, the junta adhering to his personal ideology, Galtierism and the liberalization of the economy to transform Argentina in an advanced economy. Such views were opposed by the old guard, represented by Roberto Viola. Therefore, when Viola returned on December 9 and heard that Galtieri was organizing suspicious moves, he intended to purge Galtieri and his allies by the end of the year, however he was removed in a quiet and bloodless coup on December 11, ending his rule over Argentina. Galtieri was subsequently declared Chairman of the National Reorganization Government, and accepted the presidency only later, giving him the time to purge the old guard.

First Presidency (1982-1991)
Leopoldo Galtieri assumed office on 18 April 1982, and was sworn in the Casa Rosada. Because the Constitutional Court was suspended, the attorney general of Buenos Aires was called to present the oath of office. In a time of great danger and crisis, Galtieri had to act with logical and pragmatic decisions for the benefit of the nation. The views written in his document few months prior were largely realized during his first term.

Foreign policy
Argentina was fundamental for the containment of communism, and has enjoyed excellent relations with the United States, which helped the nation with several economists to privatize industries, state owned companies and liberalize the economy. Among others, Galtieri managed to restore relations with Chile following an islands dispute. Galtieri created the National Security Council as an advisory body to the President and as an instrument of control to other members of the Junta. He firstly visited Chile and met with Augusto Pinochet, then flew to Bolivia and embarked in a 5-day tour in South America, finally returning in Argentina on 10 May. On June 17, he visited the United States and met with Ronald Reagan, where the issues of anti-communism and economic crisis were discussed. On 30 June, Galtieri invited Margaret Thatcher to settle the issue of Falkland Islands, without reaching a compromise.

Domestic policy
Galtieri assumed power in a situation where all political organizations were banned and individual freedoms restricted, with the continuation of the Dirty War as the state continued sponsoring state terrorism to block the expansion of communism in the nation. Galtieri proceeded to sign 12 decrees in his first four months in office, gradually ending the operations of state terrorist organizations and switching to regular repression. Galtieri also promulgated the State of Emergency Siege as an universal decree assuming the same functions as of the Martial Law, granting a perpetual state of law and order.

With the passing of years, however, the Junta deregulated several domestic repressive policies and gradually restored democratic rule when the "majority of objectives were completed and done", namely the eradication of far-left ideologies and the juridical and economic reorganization of the nation, and establishing Argentina as a continental power of significant relevance. Galtieri presented to the National Security Council and nextly to the Legislative Auditing Commission a proposal to draft a new constitution that recognized the valours of conservatism, catholicism and anti-communism as core values of Argentina. As both institutions gave a favorable remark, it was approved and several law professors, lawmakers and jurists were invited to give a contribute. This cuminated in the 1983 Argentine Constitution which issued indirect presidential elections, a two-party system and a continued monopoly of military rule.