Bernardino Rivadavia

Bernardino Rivadavia was born on May 20, 1780, in Buenos Aires. A prominent participant in the May Revolution, he served as a member of the First Triumvirate and spent significant years in London and Paris mastering British parliamentary and Benthamite utilitarian political philosophy.

As Minister of Government for Buenos Aires province (1821–1824), Rivadavia spearheaded sweeping modernizing reforms, founding the University of Buenos Aires in 1821, establishing the General Archive, and reforming commercial courts and charities. In 1826, he was elected the first President of Argentina under a centralist (Unitarian) constitution. Overwhelmed by the Cisplatine War with Brazil and fierce provincial federalist uprisings, he resigned and died in exile in Cádiz.