In 1996 he was appointed Undersecretary of Employment in the Formosa Ministry of Economy, Public Works and Services by Governor Gildo Insfrán; he was in the position until 2000, when he was appointed to the Undersecretariat of Commerce and Investment within the same ministry.[3][4] In 2003 Insfrán appointed him Minister of Production of the province; Basterra held this post until 2009. In 2009 he also briefly served as president of the Consejo Federal de Medio Ambiente (COFEMA).[5]
From 13 October 2009 to 10 December 2011 Basterra served as vice president of the National Agricultural Technology Institute of Argentina (INTA).[6] During his tenure at INTA, he sought to promote and expand the reach of aquaculture in Argentina.[7][8]
Congressional terms
At the 2011 general election Basterra was the 3rd candidate in the Front for Victory (FPV) list to the Chamber of Deputies in Formosa; the FPV won nearly 80% of the vote and Basterra was elected.[9] Shortly after taking office he was elected by the FPV majority to preside over the Agriculture Commission in the lower chamber of Congress.[10]
In 2015 he was re-elected to the Chamber, this time placing first in the FPV party list in Formosa.[11] He was re-elected a third time in 2019.[1]