Carlos Menem was the President of Argentina for most of the 1990s. He's been described as 'flamboyant' by outlets such as Politico and the Associated Press. Menem famously socialized with celebrities and drove a Ferrari.
His post-Presidency would be rather tumultuous and complicated. Menem's political career would continue. However, legal matters would be frequent. Including multiple convictions that would've landed an average person in prison for several years. But Menem's Earthly troubles have come to a finish.
Dies in Buenos Aires
Carlos Menem has passed away.
The cause of death was reportedly complications from a urinary tract infection. In recent months, Menem had been having a number of health issues.
Last year, he was hospitalized in intensive care with severe pneumonia. In that case, Menem would eventually be discharged from the hospital. But in December, he was hospitalized again with urinary problems. On Christmas Eve, he was put into an induced coma.
Menem was first elected president of Argentina in 1989. At the time, Menem would not have been allowed to run in successive Presidential elections. But a Constitutional amendment that he initiated changed that. In 1995, he was re-elected by a significant margin, albeit not a majority.
Menem made another run at the Presidency in 2003.
But after it became apparent that he wouldn't likely win, he dropped out of the race. Nestor Kirchner would win that year. His wife, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, later also became president of Argentina.
In the years after being President, Menem was convicted of a number of crimes and accused of others. Including guilty convictions for illegal arms trafficking and embezzlement of public funds.
For these charges, Menem was sentenced to 11 and a half years in prison. But he would not ultimately go to prison for those convictions.
Was a member of the Argentine Senate when he died
Carlos Menem was first elected to the Argentine Senate in 2005. He remained a member for the rest of his life. His status as a senator meant he was immune from being imprisoned for his criminal convictions.
Eduardo Menem, his younger brother, was also a long-time senator.
Menem's first major political office was governor of the province of La Rioja in northwestern Argentina. He held the role first from 1973 to 1976 and again from 1983 until 1989.
In 2007, Menem ran for governor of La Rioja again. This time, he finished in third place in what was viewed as a humiliating result. The result also effectively ended his Presidential ambitions for that same year. Menem also flirted with running for president again in 2011, but in the end, he did not.
