Hermes Binner

[1] Binner was the first Socialist to serve as governor of an Argentine province, and the first non-Peronist to rule Santa Fe since the last transition to democracy in 1983.

At 18 he became affiliated with the Argentine Socialist Party and continued to exercise an intense political activity, both as a member of the Student Center and at the institutional level in the Faculty of Medicine.

After the 1966 coup d'état, he participated in the movements resisting the military dictatorship of General Juan Carlos Onganía, against a background of political and ideological persecution.

[3] He continued exercising his profession, taking up specialties in anesthesiology and occupational medicine, and starting studies in the field of public health.

Following the 1989 economic crisis that led to the early handover of power by President Raúl Alfonsín to President-elect Carlos Menem, the UCR Mayor of Rosario Horacio Usandizaga resigned in protest, forcing anticipated municipal elections to be held.

[4] Hermes Binner was succeeded in office by one of his former municipal officials, Miguel Lifschitz, who continued and developed the policies outlined above, and was re-elected in 2007.

He was also the director of the Rosario's Municipal and Provincial Studies Center, an institution for political and academic formation with professionals of diverse disciplines debating current issues and policies.

[2] Binner joined UCR Congressman Ricardo Alfonsín in the Civic and Social Agreement during the early stages of the 2011 general election campaign.

Binner with her rival, Cristina Fernández, in 2011.