Martín Balza

Lieutenant General Martín Antonio Balza (13 June 1934 Salto, Buenos Aires) is an Argentine military former Chief of Staff of the Argentine Army. He is currently Argentine ambassador to the Republic of Colombia.

A man of strong democratic convictions, had stood up for the legitimate government in every attempted coup d'état throughout his senior career. He also gave the first institutional self-criticism about the Armed Forces' involvement in the 1976 coup and the ensuing reign of terror.

Career

He is an artillery officer specialised in mountain warfare.

In 1982, with the rank of Lt Colonel he participated in the Falklands War (Spanish: Guerra de las Malvinas/Guerra del Atlántico Sur) as commander of the 3rd Artillery Group. He was awarded the Argentine Army to the Military Merit Medal for his conduct during this campaign.

In 1991 he became Chief of Staff of the Argentine Army during the presidencies of Carlos Menem and Fernando De la Rua.

In 2003 he caused a stir as he declared his conviction that in 1978 Chile would have won the war during the Beagle conflict.^[1]

Decorations and badges

• Legion of Honor
• Argentine Army to the Military Merit Medal
• United Nations Medal
• Legion of Merit Degree of Commander (1994)

References

1. ^ Interview with Martín Balza in the Chilean newspaper "La Tercera" on 21 December 2003: Declaraciones de BALZA en diario La Tercera de Chile. (Spanish) Retrieved on 30 August 2008

• Balza, Martin (2001). Dejo Constancia, Editorial Planeta. ISBN 9504908136 (Spanish)

Persondata
Name	Balza, Mat
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	13 June 1934
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death

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