 He became Mayor of the provincial capital, San Juan, in 1958, and at the age of 31.He was ultimately elected to the Argentine Chamber of Deputies in 1989, and to the Argentine Senate, in 1992.On 16 May 1999, Avelín was elected as governor of his province with 55%, heading the list of the Alliance for Work, Justice and Education, which would win the presidency of Argentina later the same year.