Juan Manuel José Domingo Ortiz de Rosas was an Argentine dictator who ruled over Buenos Aires Province and the Argentine Confederation in the first half of the nineteenth century. Although he was nicknamed the "Restorer of the Laws," he was actually a ruthless autocrat who did not tolerate opposition. Under his rule, elections became a travesty, and the judiciary became a passive instrument of his dictatorship. Executions were often carried out as a means of instilling fear and forcing the population into submission. However, he typically targeted prominent figures rather than ordinary citizens.
Despite his autocratic rule, Rosas believed he was acting in the best interests of his country. He thought Argentina, with its large population of illiterate citizens, was not yet ready for democracy, and for the good of the nation, elections had to be manipulated. His regime was ultimately unsustainable, and he was forced to flee in the mid-19th century. Rosas spent his final days farming in the United Kingdom.
