- 1976 Argentine coup d'état
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Tank in front of the Casa Rosada on 24 March, following consummation of the coup that initiated the National Reorganization Process.
The 1976 Argentine coup was a right-wing coup d'état that overthrew Isabel Perón on 24 March 1976, in Argentina. In her place, a military junta was installed, which was headed by General Jorge Rafael Videla, Admiral Emilio Eduardo Massera and Brigadier Orlando Ramón Agosti. The junta took the official name of "National Reorganization Process," and remained in power until 1983.
Although political repression (the so-called "Dirty War") began before the coup, as soon as Operativo Independencia, it was heavily extended after the coup and resulted in the "disappearances" of between 7000 and 30000 persons, depending on sources.
The United States Department of State learned of the preparations of the coup two months before.[1]
Two days after the coup, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Latin America, William D. Rogers, stated "This junta is testing the basic proposition that Argentina is not governable...I think that's a distinctly odds-on choice." and "I think also we've got to expect a fair amount of repression, probably a good deal of blood, in Argentina before too long. I think they're going to have to come down very hard not only on the terrorists but on the dissidents of trade unions and their parties." US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger stated that "Whatever chance they have, they will need a little encouragement" and "because I do want to encourage them. I don't want to give the sense that they're harassed by the United States."[2]
In June 1976, when human rights violations by the junta were criticized in the US, Kissinger reiterated his support for the junta, directly addressing himself to Argentine Foreign Minister Admiral César Augusto Guzzetti during a meeting in Santiago de Chile.[3]
March 24 is now designated the Day of Remembrance for Truth and Justice.
References
- ^ February 16, 1976 - Military Take Cognizance of Human Rights Issue, National Security Archive
- ^ March 26, 1976 - Staff Meeting Transcripts - Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Chairman, Secret, (pages 1, 19–23 regarding Argentina), National Security Archive
- ^ KISSINGER TO THE ARGENTINE GENERALS IN 1976: "IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE, YOU SHOULD DO THEM QUICKLY", National Security Archive
External links
Categories:- National Reorganization Process
- Military coups in Argentina
- Conflicts in 1976
- 1976 in Argentina
- 1970s coups d'état and coup attempts
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