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| Jorge Rafael Videla, Jailed Argentine Military Leader, Dies at 87 | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Jorge Rafael Videla, the military junta leader who oversaw a ruthless campaign of political killings and forced disappearances during Argentina’s so-called Dirty War against dissidents in the mid-1970s, died Friday in the Marcos Paz Prison in Buenos Aires, where he was serving a life sentence for crimes against humanity. He was 87. | |
| His death was announced by Argentina’s Secretariat for Human Rights. | His death was announced by Argentina’s Secretariat for Human Rights. |
| At least 15,000 people were killed or “disappeared” during the junta’s campaign, according to government estimates. Human rights officials say the figure is closer to 30,000. | At least 15,000 people were killed or “disappeared” during the junta’s campaign, according to government estimates. Human rights officials say the figure is closer to 30,000. |
| In 1976, General Videla led a coup against President Isabel Martínez de Perón, widow of Juan Domingo Perón, the founder of the country’s influential populist movement. Mrs. Perón was arrested and charged with corruption, and General Videla, the chief of the armed forces, took over. He assumed the presidency and established a military junta. | In 1976, General Videla led a coup against President Isabel Martínez de Perón, widow of Juan Domingo Perón, the founder of the country’s influential populist movement. Mrs. Perón was arrested and charged with corruption, and General Videla, the chief of the armed forces, took over. He assumed the presidency and established a military junta. |
| Despite early promises to restore civilian rule, General Videla declared a priority the “eradication” of the leftist guerrillas who had begun a fierce offensive against Mrs. Perón’s government. But the anti-guerrilla net soon widened to include lawyers, students, journalists and union leaders suspected of ties to radical groups. Congress was suspended, political parties were abolished, strikes were made illegal and death squads roamed the country. | Despite early promises to restore civilian rule, General Videla declared a priority the “eradication” of the leftist guerrillas who had begun a fierce offensive against Mrs. Perón’s government. But the anti-guerrilla net soon widened to include lawyers, students, journalists and union leaders suspected of ties to radical groups. Congress was suspended, political parties were abolished, strikes were made illegal and death squads roamed the country. |
| After the collapse of the junta in 1983 and the return of democracy, General Videla was sentenced to life in prison for human rights abuses that included torture and murder. The 1985 trial of the main junta officials had historic implications in a region plagued by autocratic regimes. | After the collapse of the junta in 1983 and the return of democracy, General Videla was sentenced to life in prison for human rights abuses that included torture and murder. The 1985 trial of the main junta officials had historic implications in a region plagued by autocratic regimes. |
| “For the first time the members of a military junta are being tried by civilian courts for the crimes they committed during a dictatorship,” Ernesto Sábato, the Argentine novelist and head of a presidential commission to investigate the disappearances, said at the time. | “For the first time the members of a military junta are being tried by civilian courts for the crimes they committed during a dictatorship,” Ernesto Sábato, the Argentine novelist and head of a presidential commission to investigate the disappearances, said at the time. |
| But in 1990, General Videla, along with other junta officials, was pardoned by President Carlos Saúl Menem in an effort to move the country past its traumatic history. | But in 1990, General Videla, along with other junta officials, was pardoned by President Carlos Saúl Menem in an effort to move the country past its traumatic history. |
| In 1998 General Videla was arrested again, on kidnapping charges. He was accused of organizing the illegal adoption by military families of children whose parents disappeared after being kidnapped by death squads. | In 1998 General Videla was arrested again, on kidnapping charges. He was accused of organizing the illegal adoption by military families of children whose parents disappeared after being kidnapped by death squads. |
| General Videla was put under house arrest and then sent to a military prison. After a judge revoked the 1990 pardons as unconstitutional in 2007, General Videla and other junta officials faced new charges over the torture and execution of political prisoners. | General Videla was put under house arrest and then sent to a military prison. After a judge revoked the 1990 pardons as unconstitutional in 2007, General Videla and other junta officials faced new charges over the torture and execution of political prisoners. |
| Speaking before a tribunal in July 2010, General Videla assumed full responsibility for his actions during the “internal war,” saying his subordinates were just following orders. But he said that he would not testify in a new trial because he could not be “tried again for the same cause,” a reference to his 1985 trial. | Speaking before a tribunal in July 2010, General Videla assumed full responsibility for his actions during the “internal war,” saying his subordinates were just following orders. But he said that he would not testify in a new trial because he could not be “tried again for the same cause,” a reference to his 1985 trial. |
| Jorge Rafael Videla Redondo was born in Mercedes, Argentina, on Aug. 2, 1925. The son of an army colonel, he graduated from the National Military College in 1944. | |
| He rose steadily through the ranks, becoming a brigadier general by 1971. He was appointed chief of the army general staff in 1973, and in 1975 Mrs. Perón named him commander in chief of the armed forces. | He rose steadily through the ranks, becoming a brigadier general by 1971. He was appointed chief of the army general staff in 1973, and in 1975 Mrs. Perón named him commander in chief of the armed forces. |
| By that point the military’s high command was already voicing its frustration with the civilian government, which was under siege by rampant inflation, corruption and a campaign of bombings and assassinations by radical left-wing groups. Mrs. Perón had declared a state of emergency in November 1974, giving the army free hand to pursue the militants. | By that point the military’s high command was already voicing its frustration with the civilian government, which was under siege by rampant inflation, corruption and a campaign of bombings and assassinations by radical left-wing groups. Mrs. Perón had declared a state of emergency in November 1974, giving the army free hand to pursue the militants. |
| As the economy and security deteriorated under the Peronist government, leftists and union leaders began warning of the threat of a revolt like General Augusto Pinochet’s bloody coup against Salvador Allende in Chile. | As the economy and security deteriorated under the Peronist government, leftists and union leaders began warning of the threat of a revolt like General Augusto Pinochet’s bloody coup against Salvador Allende in Chile. |
| But the coup in Argentina was carried out almost without a shot. Mrs. Perón left the presidential palace in a helicopter at midnight as General Videla and the junta took power, promising to fill a vacuum of leadership. Their objective was to install a technocratic government capable of regaining control of the economy and restoring security. | |
| The junta economic policies focused on privatizing the large public sector created under the populist Peronist system and developing the agrarian export sector controlled by landholders. Other measures included cutting wages, reducing welfare assistance and raising food prices. On security, General Videla intensified the so-called Process of National Reorganization, putting the radical groups — including the powerful Montoneros, which had broken from the Peronist movement, and the Trotskyite Revolutionary Army of the People — on the defensive. | The junta economic policies focused on privatizing the large public sector created under the populist Peronist system and developing the agrarian export sector controlled by landholders. Other measures included cutting wages, reducing welfare assistance and raising food prices. On security, General Videla intensified the so-called Process of National Reorganization, putting the radical groups — including the powerful Montoneros, which had broken from the Peronist movement, and the Trotskyite Revolutionary Army of the People — on the defensive. |
| “One becomes a terrorist not only by killing with a weapon or setting a bomb but also by encouraging others through ideas that go against our Western and Christian civilization,” General Videla declared in 1977. | “One becomes a terrorist not only by killing with a weapon or setting a bomb but also by encouraging others through ideas that go against our Western and Christian civilization,” General Videla declared in 1977. |
| With support from the military and the police, right-wing death squads kidnapped presumed subversives and took them to secret detention centers, never to be seen again. | With support from the military and the police, right-wing death squads kidnapped presumed subversives and took them to secret detention centers, never to be seen again. |
| Human rights abuses started to isolate General Videla and Argentina. President Jimmy Carter sent diplomatic observers and cut military aid significantly to pressure the junta. | Human rights abuses started to isolate General Videla and Argentina. President Jimmy Carter sent diplomatic observers and cut military aid significantly to pressure the junta. |
| As president, General Videla survived numerous assassination attempts, including one in 1977 when a bomb exploded on the airport runway in Buenos Aires seconds after his plane took off. | As president, General Videla survived numerous assassination attempts, including one in 1977 when a bomb exploded on the airport runway in Buenos Aires seconds after his plane took off. |
| As the violence ebbed, he turned to the dysfunctional economy. “The war is over,” he said in 1979. “Now we must win the peace.” | As the violence ebbed, he turned to the dysfunctional economy. “The war is over,” he said in 1979. “Now we must win the peace.” |
| In 1981, he relinquished power to Gen. Roberto Viola. Poor health forced General Viola to step down only eight months later. He was succeeded by Gen. Leopoldo Galtieri, who ordered Argentina’s failed invasion of the Falkland Islands. Britain’s rapid victory over Argentina destroyed the credibility of the army and brought an end to military rule. | |
| Information on survivors was not immediately available. | Information on survivors was not immediately available. |
Simon Romero contributed reporting. | Simon Romero contributed reporting. |