Carapintadas
Encyclopedia
The were a group of mutineers in the Argentine Army
, who took part in uprisings during the presidency
of Raúl Alfonsín
in Argentina
.
In December 1986, the Ley de Punto Final
(Full Stop Law) was introduced. This law set a 60-day deadline for the victims of the country's Dirty War
to file complaints against members of the military and police suspected of human rights
abuses.
On April 15, 1987, military personnel headed by Lieutenant Colonel Aldo Rico
staged a series of barrack uprisings demanding that the trials of those not exempted under the law be aborted. The mutineers were all seized, but only two arrested.
The Carapintadas revolted again under Rico's command in January 1988 in Monte Caseros
. They surrendered a few days later and 300 of the mutineers were arrested.
Another uprising took place in on December of that year, when members of the Albatros special unit
, led by Mohamed Alí Seineldín
, took control of the military barracks in Villa Martelli
. They were later followed by around 1,000 troops of the three armed forces. The mutineers surrendered days later, but only Seineldín and Major Hugo Abete were arrested. Several of the mutineers' demands were conceded by the government.
As was reported in the Buenos Aires Herald
at the time, and in The Journal of Commerce
and other US publications, both Rico and Sineldin spent time in Central America
, where they trained Argentine cadres and other troops involved in supporting the US anti-leftist mission in the region. Both men have more than tangential connection to the organized torture
and human rights
violations that were carried out by the Argentine military during the nation's Dirty War.
On October 1989, president elect Carlos Menem
signed a pardon
for a number of detained military men; including 39 held by events during the military government, and 164 Carapintadas. In spite of this, on December 3, 1990 Seineldin again staged an uprising, which ended with several deaths and 300 arrested. A few days later, Menem signed the pardon for all the most important people convicted for misdeeds during the Dirty War.
Argentine Army
The Argentine Army is the land armed force branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic and the senior military service of the country.- History :...
, who took part in uprisings during the presidency
President of Argentina
The President of the Argentine Nation , usually known as the President of Argentina, is the head of state of Argentina. Under the national Constitution, the President is also the chief executive of the federal government and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.Through Argentine history, the...
of Raúl Alfonsín
Raúl Alfonsín
Raúl Ricardo Alfonsín was an Argentine lawyer, politician and statesman, who served as the President of Argentina from December 10, 1983, to July 8, 1989. Alfonsín was the first democratically-elected president of Argentina following the military government known as the National Reorganization...
in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
.
In December 1986, the Ley de Punto Final
Ley de Punto Final
Ley de Punto Final was a law passed by the National Congress of Argentina after the end of the military dictatorship of the Proceso de Reorganización Nacional . Formally, this law is referred to by number Ley de Punto Final (Spanish, roughly translated Full Stop Law) was a law passed by the...
(Full Stop Law) was introduced. This law set a 60-day deadline for the victims of the country's Dirty War
Dirty War
The Dirty War was a period of state-sponsored violence in Argentina from 1976 until 1983. Victims of the violence included several thousand left-wing activists, including trade unionists, students, journalists, Marxists, Peronist guerrillas and alleged sympathizers, either proved or suspected...
to file complaints against members of the military and police suspected of human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
abuses.
On April 15, 1987, military personnel headed by Lieutenant Colonel Aldo Rico
Aldo Rico
Aldo Rico is an Argentine military man and politician, famous for his role in the episodes of 1987 and 1988 where sectors of the Armed Forces, known as carapintadas , revolted to protest the policies of...
staged a series of barrack uprisings demanding that the trials of those not exempted under the law be aborted. The mutineers were all seized, but only two arrested.
The Carapintadas revolted again under Rico's command in January 1988 in Monte Caseros
Monte Caseros, Corrientes
Monte Caseros is a city in the south-east of the province of Corrientes in the Argentine Mesopotamia. It has about 25,000 inhabitants as of the...
. They surrendered a few days later and 300 of the mutineers were arrested.
Another uprising took place in on December of that year, when members of the Albatros special unit
Grupo Albatros
The Grupo Albatros is a special operations service of the Prefectura Naval Argentina. Located in the province of Buenos Aires, it conducts river and maritime operations in the lakes and rivers and anything close to the coast line...
, led by Mohamed Alí Seineldín
Mohamed Alí Seineldín
Mohamed Alí Seineldin was an Argentine army colonel who participated in two failed uprisings against the democratically elected governments of both President Raúl Alfonsín and President Carlos Menem in 1988 and 1990.Seineldín was born in Concepción del Uruguay into an Arab Argentine family...
, took control of the military barracks in Villa Martelli
Villa Martelli
Villa Martelli is a town in the Partido of Vicente Lopez, in the Greater Buenos Aires metro area.-History:The first recorded settlement in the area occurred on May 6, 1910, and the town was officially recognized by the Provincial Legislature on July 27, 1964. The Villa Martelli Army Barracks were...
. They were later followed by around 1,000 troops of the three armed forces. The mutineers surrendered days later, but only Seineldín and Major Hugo Abete were arrested. Several of the mutineers' demands were conceded by the government.
As was reported in the Buenos Aires Herald
Buenos Aires Herald
The Buenos Aires Herald is an English language daily newspaper from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Their slogan is A World of Information in a few words.-History:...
at the time, and in The Journal of Commerce
The Journal of Commerce
The Journal of Commerce is a weekly magazine published in the United States that focuses on trade topics. First published in 1827, the Journal has a circulation of approximately 15,000...
and other US publications, both Rico and Sineldin spent time in Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
, where they trained Argentine cadres and other troops involved in supporting the US anti-leftist mission in the region. Both men have more than tangential connection to the organized torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
and human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
violations that were carried out by the Argentine military during the nation's Dirty War.
On October 1989, president elect Carlos Menem
Carlos Menem
Carlos Saúl Menem is an Argentine politician who was President of Argentina from 1989 to 1999. He is currently an Argentine National Senator for La Rioja Province.-Early life:...
signed a pardon
Pardon
Clemency means the forgiveness of a crime or the cancellation of the penalty associated with it. It is a general concept that encompasses several related procedures: pardoning, commutation, remission and reprieves...
for a number of detained military men; including 39 held by events during the military government, and 164 Carapintadas. In spite of this, on December 3, 1990 Seineldin again staged an uprising, which ended with several deaths and 300 arrested. A few days later, Menem signed the pardon for all the most important people convicted for misdeeds during the Dirty War.
External links
- Military Uprisings
- "Un ataque que sorprendió a toda la dirigencia política" ClarínClarín (newspaper)Clarín is the largest newspaper in Argentina, published by the Grupo Clarín media group. It was founded by Roberto Noble on 28 August 1945. It is politically centrist but popularly understood to oppose the Kirchner government...
- "Asalto al cuartel de La Tablada"