Valentín Alsina

*"For the city, see Valentín Alsina, Buenos Aires."

Valentín Alsina (1802 - September 5, 1869) was an Argentine lawyer and politician.

Alsina was born in Buenos Aires and studied law in Córdoba. He occupied diverse posts in government and also had a successful civil career as an advocate and professor of law at the university of Buenos Aires. Under the government of Juan Manuel de Rosas, he had to leave the country, as his liberal ideas did not please the dictator at all. From his refuge in Montevideo, he supported the opposition against de Rosas both financially and through publications.

When de Rosas was replaced by Justo José de Urquiza, Alsina returned to Buenos Aires, where he was elected governor in 1852. However, he resigned after a few months, shortly before a military coup. In 1853, Buenos Aires left the Argentinian Federation and declared itself an independent state. Alsina, a fervent supporter of independence, became governor again in 1857. In 1859, open hostilities broke out between Alsina and the government of the rest of Argentina of Urquiza. After the defeat of the army of Buenos Aires under Bartolomé Mitre at the Battle of Cepeda on October 23, 1859, Alsina had to abdicate and Buenos Aires was forced to rejoin the federation. He became a member of the Argentine Senate in 1862, serving until his death.

In 1868—Urquiza long dead and Mitre having become president—Alsina again held an official position as a member of the Supreme Court and served with his son Adolfo Alsina who became Vice-President of Argentina.

ee also

*List of Presidents of Argentina