the latter was commanding the third army corps in Rio Grande do Sul. which is a more prestigious post. The new third army commander. General Antonio Bandeira. is typical of the hardline colonels with a long Malory of brutality. He inherits an All change at top of Brazilian army army corps, however, which has been Brazil: President Ernesto Ciciscl's was due to retire. A general at the deprived of its traditional scope for latest army promotions have brought Supremo Tribunal Militar was per• conspiracy. His ambition was in fact a group known in 1964 as 'the hard• suaded to retire early to create a to head the fourth army corps in the line colonels' to the top of the <miiitar\ vacancy which will prolong Diler- north-cast, which is his home. ladder. Their task will be to complete maiulo's career. An indicator of The new second army commander the withdrawal of the army from military morale was the irritation is General Jose Fragomeni. He has the political arena. expressed by many officers in the little history of political involvement, The new army chief of staff. second army at the praise lavished though he has always surrounded General Samuel Alves Correa. re• upon Dilermando in his numerous himself with a group of officers known cently stated that the army was more farewell ceremonies for 'ending human for their extreme right-wing views. important than politics, and suggested rights violations in Sao Paulo'. The probable reason for his appoint• that a tactical retreat was called for No such effort was made for the ment is his knowledge of the Sao if honour was to be preserved. retiring chief of staff, General Ariel Paulo army corps, where he served Geisel*s promotions contained no Pacca da Fonseca. who leaves active from 1975 to 1977. names likely to raise the army's service along with Generals Teriphilo General Hugo Abreu should, ac• sagging morale, but it is unlikely that Gaspar de Oliveira and Airton Pereira cording to seniority, have been placed the high command will dispute power Tourinho. General Pacca da Fonseca near the top of the list presented to with the presidential palace. is highly esteemed throughout the President Geisel for promotions to The only special effort made by army as the only man capable of four-star general, but he was not tieisel was for the commander of uniting the military around a pro• even included. The formal pretext the second army corps in Sao Paulo. fessional ideal. His replacement by was his disciplinary arrest in the heat General Dilermando Gomes, who General Alves Correa was curious, as of the struggle between the presiden• tial nominee, General Joao Baptista Figueiredo. and the dissident candi• The Brazilian army high command date, General Euler Bentes Monteiro (LAPR XII, 39). In practice, that Army minister: Fernando Belfort Bethlem chapter is closed, and most of Abreu's Chief of Staff: Samuel Alves Correa followers are seeking some sort of Commander I army: Jose' Pinto de Araujo Rabello accommodation with the new order. Commander II awny: Josi Fragomeni No decision has yet been announced Commander III army: Antonio Bandeira about the next army minister. A cas• Commander IV army: Argus Lima cade of leaks from Brasilia has re• Department heads: Walter Pires de Albuquerque futed the most popular bet, that it Josi Ferraz da Rocha would be General Walter Pires de Rui de Paulo Couto Albuquerque, who is a very close Ernani Airosa friend of Figueiredo. Walter Pires is Antonio Carlos de Andrade Serpa well known for his dislike of General Commander Planalto (Brasilia): Heitor Luiz Gonzaga de Almeida* Golbery de Couto e Silva, the head Commander Amazon: Rosalvo Eduardo Jansen* of Geisel's civilian household and one * no voting rights of Figueiredo's closest advisers. • Luis Guagnini We Nvould again ask our readers to It has been recorded on a plaque take up the case of Luis Guagnini which was unveiled at the head• It is almost exactly a year since Luis (LAPR XII, 1 & 11) with the Argentine quarters of the Overseas Press Club Guagnini, correspondent of this news• government, and also with human of America in New York on the letter and of El Pais (Madrid), was rights organisations and Amnesty thirtieth anniversary of the universal detained by the Argentine authorities. groups in their own countries. The declaration of human rights. • We have learned through unofficial Argentine government should be sources that he is being held by the asked to recognise officially that it is Argentine army, but the Argentine holding him, and to say what charges By the way government has publicly denied any it has against him and when he will knowledge of his whereabouts and be tried; if there are no charges he Peru: The prime minister, General has not responded to representations should be released immediately. Oscar Molina Pallochia, gained some made on his behalf. Guagnini is not, of course, the only first-hand experience of the serious We were advised, again unofficially, journalist to have been silenced by increase in crime in Lima when, that the intervention of friends and the Argentine military government. just before Christmas, he went shop• - readers of this newsletter did have an Argentina holds the world record for ping in the city centre. Accompanied ] important impact and helped keep repression of journalists, with 89 by a top police officer, General \ Guagnini alive. In Britain, his case recorded cases of journalists in prison Molina was stepping out of his official car when a motor cycle drew ; has been taken up by the National or 'disappeared' after detention. up; the rider snatched the general's Union of Journalists and by members Brazil comes second, "with 22 such watch off his wrist, and accelerated of parliament. The most recent devel- cases, followed by Chile (19), Uru• away into the traffic. The police opment is that he has been granted guay (17), Paraguay (5), Cuba (5), officer was also relieved of his watch. Guatemala (2), Haiti (2) and Vene• a visa to enter Britain should he be According to newspaper reports, the released by the Argentine authorities. zuela (1). Latin America accounts for minister's watch was worth about 'This is an important development, as half the total of 162 cases; the rest us$l,200. He was apparently dressed the British embassy in Buenos Aires come from Europe, Asia and Africa. in a stylish, light-coloured suit and will now take official steps to dis• The list has been compiled from the dark glasses, and must have been cover the circumstances of Guagnini's records of the American Pen Center, o mistaken by the escapero for a continuing detention and the alleged Amnesty International and the In• wealthy foreign tourist r~i •a •easons for it. ternational League for Human Rights. < LATIN AMERICA umi""" .