Correo Argentino
| Company type | Sociedad Anónima (S.A.) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Postal service |
| Founded | 1 July 1769 |
| Headquarters | Buenos Aires , Argentina |
Area served | Argentina |
| Owner | Government of Argentina |
The Official Postal Service of the Argentine Republic (, widely referred to as Correo Argentino following its privatization in 1997) is a government-owned enterprise tasked with managing postal operations throughout Argentina. It functions as a S.A. under the supervision of the Office of the Cabinet Chief.
Origins: Viceroyalty Era
The "Correo Mayor de Indias" was established on 14 May 1514 in Lima, Peru. During the reign of Carlos III of Spain, postal services were incorporated into the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, aligned with the Kingdom of Spain. As commercial exchanges increased, a postal system was implemented in Buenos Aires through the efforts of Domingo Basavilbaso, who appointed a senior lieutenant from Lima to oversee operations.
The service officially commenced on 1 July 1769 and subsequently expanded to include Potosí and Santiago (Chile). Bruno Ramírez was appointed as Argentina’s first official postman on 14 September 1771, a date now commemorated annually as the Day of the Postman in Argentina.
Development
During the May Revolution, the Argentine postal network played a vital role in distributing directives and correspondence from the Primera Junta. In June 1810, Melchor de Albín was named as the initial manager.
In 1826, under President Bernardino Rivadavia, Congress nationalized the service, renaming it "Dirección General de Correos, Postas y Caminos," with Juan Manuel de Luca at its helm for 32 years. His successor, Gervasio Antonio de Posadas, introduced Buenos Aires’ inaugural post boxes, codified postal regulations, and reduced postage fees.
Eduardo Olivera took over as director in 1874, revising regulations and advocating reforms through Law n° 816. The service expanded to include money orders, courier deliveries, registered mail, and declared-value shipments. Initially overseen by the Ministries of Finance and Interior, it gained independence in June 1944 under the name "Dirección General de Correos y Telecomunicaciones."
Palacio de Correos
To accommodate increasing demand, director Ramón Cárcano proposed constructing a dedicated postal building in 1888. French architect Norbert-Auguste Maillart designed it, drawing inspiration from New York City’s City Hall Post Office.
Construction started in 1889 and was completed in 1928. The building was inaugurated by President Marcelo T. de Alvear and became a central hub for postal operations across Argentina.
ENCoTel
The "Empresa Nacional de Correos y Telégrafos" (ENCoTel), established in 1972 as a state-owned entity, managed postal, telegraph, and financial services. After the 1976 National Reorganisation Process, private firms were allowed to participate in postal activities; however, universal postal service responsibilities remained with the government.
Privatization
In 1997, during the administration of Carlos Menem, ENCoTel underwent privatization when a 30-year concession was awarded to "Correo Argentino," a subsidiary of Sociedad Macri (SOCMA), owned by entrepreneur Franco Macri. Argentina became one of the pioneers in privatizing its postal system. Under this agreement, SOCMA committed to paying A$51.6 million biannually to the government. Despite this, the consortium accrued nearly US$900 million in liabilities owed to private creditors and public entities. By September 2001, SOCMA entered into reorganization proceedings.
In recognition of its architectural and historical importance, the Palacio de Correos was declared National Heritage by Law 12,665 in 1997. By 2002, it ceased serving as Correo Argentino’s main headquarters; only a small area continued operating as a post office and stamp sales point on Sarmiento street. The building was later transformed into the Kirchner Cultural Centre in 2015.
Renationalization
In 2003, the Kirchner government opted to place Correo Argentino under government management for a six-month period while organizing an international public tender to identify a new private operator. Nevertheless, the plan to re-privatize was suspended in 2004, leading to the creation of a new state-owned entity named Correo Oficial de la República Argentina Sociedad Anónima. By 2005, the concession previously held by the Macri group was formally annulled. Although Franco Macri supported the Kirchner administration, he expressed dissatisfaction with how his company was handled throughout this procedure.