Juan Rafael Bustillo
Encyclopedia
Juan Rafael Bustillo is a former General
in the Air Force of El Salvador
and is known for planning the murder of six Jesuit
priest
s, a housekeeper and her daughter at the Universidad Centroamericana "José Simeón Cañas" (UCA) in El Salvador
on November 16 1989.
Bustillo was born in San Miguel
in 1935, his parents being John and Elena Toledo Bustillo. He entered the Salvadoran Military Academy on February 1 1954, and was promoted to Lieutenant
in 1962, Captain in 1966, Major
in 1972, Lieutenant Colonel
in 1976, Colonel
in 1980 and General
in 1984.
Bustillo is wanted in France
for torturing, raping and murdering 27-year-old Madeleine Lagadec in El Salvador in 1989. Her raped, bullet-riddled body was found with its left hand severed. As the head of the Salvadoran Air Force, Bustillo oversaw the Contras
' operation of importing weapons into Nicaragua
that were paid for by crack cocaine that was smuggled into the United States
. He is also accused of ordering Air Force officials to torture and murder members of the teachers union in El Salvador, including Maria Cristina Gomez
.
On November 13 2008 The Center for Justice and Accountability (CJA) filed a criminal case in Madrid
in Spain
against former Salvadoran military officials, including Bustillo, for their role in the Jesuits Massacre of 1989. CJA and their colleagues with the Spanish Association for Human Rights (APDHE) jointly filed the case as prosecutors in the Spanish National Court, using Spain’s universal jurisdiction law. On January 13 2009 the 14 officers and soldiers named in the case were formally charged with crimes against humanity and state terrorism.
Bustillo resides in El Salvador.
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
in the Air Force of El Salvador
Air Force of El Salvador
The Salvadoran Air Force the air force of the Armed Forces of El Salvador, and is independent from the army and navy. It was formed on 20 March 1923 during a period of heavy interest in aviation in El Salvador. In 1947 after signing the treaty of Rio...
and is known for planning the murder of six Jesuit
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
priest
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
s, a housekeeper and her daughter at the Universidad Centroamericana "José Simeón Cañas" (UCA) in El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
on November 16 1989.
Bustillo was born in San Miguel
San Miguel, El Salvador
San Miguel is the fourth most populous city in El Salvador after Santa Ana and Soyapango and the second most important after San Salvador. It is located 138 km east of the capital, San Salvador. It is also the capital of the department of San Miguel and a municipality...
in 1935, his parents being John and Elena Toledo Bustillo. He entered the Salvadoran Military Academy on February 1 1954, and was promoted to Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in 1962, Captain in 1966, Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in 1972, Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
in 1976, Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
in 1980 and General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
in 1984.
Bustillo is wanted in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
for torturing, raping and murdering 27-year-old Madeleine Lagadec in El Salvador in 1989. Her raped, bullet-riddled body was found with its left hand severed. As the head of the Salvadoran Air Force, Bustillo oversaw the Contras
Contras
The contras is a label given to the various rebel groups opposing Nicaragua's FSLN Sandinista Junta of National Reconstruction government following the July 1979 overthrow of Anastasio Somoza Debayle's dictatorship...
' operation of importing weapons into Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
that were paid for by crack cocaine that was smuggled into the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He is also accused of ordering Air Force officials to torture and murder members of the teachers union in El Salvador, including Maria Cristina Gomez
María Cristina Gómez
María Cristina Gómez was a Baptist primary school teacher and community leader in El Salvador who was abducted and murdered on April 5, 1989.-Christian mission:...
.
On November 13 2008 The Center for Justice and Accountability (CJA) filed a criminal case in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
against former Salvadoran military officials, including Bustillo, for their role in the Jesuits Massacre of 1989. CJA and their colleagues with the Spanish Association for Human Rights (APDHE) jointly filed the case as prosecutors in the Spanish National Court, using Spain’s universal jurisdiction law. On January 13 2009 the 14 officers and soldiers named in the case were formally charged with crimes against humanity and state terrorism.
Bustillo resides in El Salvador.
External links
- http://www.isreview.org/issues/09/school_of_americas.shtmlBustillo in International Socialist ReviewInternational Socialist ReviewInternational Socialist Review may refer to:*International Socialist Review *International Socialist Review *International Socialist Review...
, Issue 9, Fall 1999] - Bustillo on NameBase.org
- Bustillo on The Center for Justice and Accountability website
- Notorious Salvadoran School of the Americas Graduates
- Salvador Officers Deny Slaying Role The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
November 20 1991