Eduardo Alberto Duhalde was born in Lomas de Zamora, in the Greater Buenos Aires. He graduated as a lawyer in 1970. He was elected to the city legislature the next year, and presided over it. He joined the Justicialist Party (PJ), and soon became leader of its local branch. The legislature impeached the mayor Ricardo Ortiz, as well as Pedro Turner, who was appointed mayor afterwards. This was part of a political reorganization promoted by President Juan Perón. Duhalde was appointed mayor in 1973 as a result. Many members of the Peronist Youth were killed in Lomas de Zamora during the Pasco massacre, which Duhalde blamed on the Argentine Anticommunist Alliance. He was ousted from office during the 1976 Argentine coup d'état. He worked as a real estate broker during the following years.