Global InformationJorge Rafael Videla information
Lieutenant General Jorge Rafael Videla | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 1976 | |
| 47th President of Argentina | |
1st President of the National Reorganisation Process | |
| In office 29 March 1976 – 29 March 1981 | |
| Vice President | Vacant |
| Preceded by | Isabel Perón |
| Succeeded by | Roberto Eduardo Viola |
| Governor of Tucumán | |
| In office 4 August – 10 December 1970 | |
| Preceded by | Jorge Daniel Nanclares |
| Succeeded by | Carlos Alfredo Imbaud |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 2 August 1925 Mercedes, Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Died | 17 May 2013 (aged 87) Marcos Paz, Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Resting place | Memorial Cemetery, Pilar, Buenos Aires |
| Political party | None |
| Spouse |
Alicia Raquel Hartridge
(m. 1948) |
| Children | 7 |
| Education | Colegio Militar de la Nación |
| Profession | Military |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Argentina |
| Branch/service |  Argentine Army |
| Years of service | 1944–1981 |
| Rank |  (Pre-1991 epaulette) Lieutenant General |
| Commands | Argentine Army (1976–1981) |
| Battles/wars |
Beagle conflict
|
| Criminal details | |
| Conviction(s) | Crimes against humanity; illegal repression during the last military dictatorship |
| Penalty | Life imprisonment |
| Trial | Trial of the Juntas |
| Imprisoned at | Marcos Paz Prison |
Jorge Rafael Videla (/vɪˈdɛlə/ vid-EL-ə; Spanish: [ˈxoɾxe rafaˈel βiˈðela]; 2 August 1925 – 17 May 2013) was an Argentine military officer and dictator who was the 47th President of Argentina and as well as the 1st President of the National Reorginsation Process from 1976 to 1981. His rule, which was during the time of Operation Condor, was among the most infamous in Latin America during the Cold War due to its high level of human rights abuses and severe economic mismanagement.
He came to power in a coup d'état that deposed Isabel Perón. In 1985, two years after the return of a representative democratic government, he was prosecuted in the Trial of the Juntas for large-scale human rights abuses and crimes against humanity that took place under his rule, including kidnappings or forced disappearance, widespread torture and extrajudicial murder of activists and political opponents as well as their families at secret concentration camps. An estimated 13,000[1] to 30,000[2] political dissidents vanished during this period. Videla was also convicted of the theft of many babies born during the captivity of their mothers at the illegal detention centres and passing them on for illegal adoption by associates of the regime. Videla maintained the female guerrilla detainees allowed themselves to become pregnant in the belief they would not be tortured or executed.[3] On 5 July 2010, Videla took full responsibility for his army's actions during his rule. "I accept the responsibility as the highest military authority during the internal war. My subordinates followed my orders," he told an Argentine court.[4] Videla also sheltered many Nazi fugitives as Alfredo Stroessner did in Paraguay and as Hugo Banzer did in Bolivia; he was sometimes known as the "Hitler of the Pampa"[5][6] among opponents of his regime. He was under house arrest until 10 October 2008, when he was sent to a military prison.[7]
Following a new trial, on 22 December 2010, Videla was sentenced to life in a civilian prison for the deaths of 31 prisoners following his coup.[8][9] On 5 July 2012, Videla was sentenced to 50 years in civilian prison for the systematic kidnapping of children during his tenure.[10] The following year, Videla died in the Marcos Paz civilian prison five days after suffering a fall in a shower.[11]
- ^ "Una duda histórica: no se sabe cuántos son los desaparecidos". 6 October 2003.
- ^ "40 years later, the mothers of Argentina's 'disappeared' refuse to be silent". TheGuardian.com. 28 April 2017. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
- ^ "El exdictador Videla llama terroristas a las madres de los bebés robados en Argentina". Abc.es. 27 June 2012.
- ^ "Argentina's Videla: 'Troops followed my orders' BBC news". Bbc.co.uk. 6 July 2010. Retrieved 27 December 2010.
- ^ "Jorge Videla, el Hitler de la Pampa | elmundo.es". Elmundo.es. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
- ^ "El Hitler de la Pampa". CCMA. 4 December 2019. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
- ^ Rosario Gabino (10 October 2008). "Argentina: Videla a la cárcel". BBC News. Retrieved 27 December 2010.
- ^ Life sentence for ex-Argentina leader on Al Jazeera English 23 December 2010 (video)
- ^ Popper, Helen (22 December 2010). "Former Argentine dictator Videla jailed for life". Reuters. Retrieved 23 December 2010.
- ^ "El dictador Videla, condenado a 50 años de cárcel por el robo de niños". Retrieved 5 July 2012.
- ^ "Videla murio golpe cabeza cuando resbalo-ducha", El Comericio