Mercante did not allow this imposition to be a cause of conflict between himself and the president, declaring that "I've always towed our leader's line and, moreover, consider it anathema not to do so. My government in Buenos Aires Province depended on Perón, and disloyalty to him would have been tantamount to disloyalty to our movement and beliefs." The retired officer joined efforts to quell a 1955 coup attempt against Perón; the coup was successful, however, and the ensuing regime tried Mercante. Soon freed, he maintained a low profile afterwards and died in 1976 at age 77.