Comisión Nacional de Recuperación Patrimonial (CONAREPA): between the fight against corruption and the administration of the loot

Abstract

This article examines the role of the National Commission for Patrimonial Recovery (CONAREPA), a unique entity established in 1977 by the Argentine military government. Operated under the Executive Branch, CONAREPA was granted full judicial and administrative powers to investigate the origin and legitimacy of the assets belonging to a wide range of political and social leaders. The commission had the authority to seize the assets of those accused and manage the disposed assets.

By tracing its institutional history, two key aspects emerge: first, the government's intention to confer legal and formal legitimacy on an organization that was inherently arbitrary and unconstitutional; and second, the predominantly economic logic behind its distinctive approach of asset seizure. This method aimed not only to penalize the accused but also to compensate for the material harm inflicted on the State.

This study is situated within the emerging discussions of the new century that seek to renew research on political corruption. Its operates under the premise that corruption carries different meanings (Buchan and Hill, 2014), which can only be understood when analyzed within their specific contextual frameworks.