Seventy years ago today, on September 24, 1955 (August 9, 1955 in the lunar calendar), Argentine President Perón stepped down and went into exile. September 24, 1955. Instead of putting former President Juan Perón to death with trial and punishment, Argentina's new military government recognized his "right to asylum" and sent him on his way to Paraguay. Perón had been holed up in a Paraguayan gunboat in the port of Buenos Aires since Monday, when he was ousted by a four-day revolution. The foundations of his 10-year-old regime began to crumble as he courted the capitalists while ignoring the interests of the workers, escalated attacks on Catholics, and agreed to American Petroleum to exploit Argentina's resources. Rebel forces took control of the army and navy and threatened the capital with bombing, and the government capitulated. After news of Peron's fall broke on Monday, ecstatic crowds poured into the streets, dragging a statue of Peron's ex-wife, Eva Peron, through the streets. Now the military junta controls much of the country. Only in isolated areas still dominated by Peronists did fighting continue.