Eastern Illinois University The Keep Masters Theses Student Theses & Publications 1981 The olitP ics of Repression: Argentina, 1976-79 Nattasin Chongsanguan Eastern Illinois University This research is a product of the graduate program in Political Science at Eastern Illinois University. Find out more about the program. Recommended Citation Chongsanguan, Nattasin, "The oP litics of Repression: Argentina, 1976-79" (1981). Masters Theses. 3026. https://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/3026 This is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Theses & Publications at The Keep. It has been accepted for inclusion in Masters Theses by an authorized administrator of The Keep. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THESIS REPRODUCTION CERTIFICATE TO: Graduate Degree Candidates who have written formal theses. SUBJECT: Permission to reproduce theses. 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Date Author I respectfully request Booth Library of Eastern Illinois University not allow my thesis be reproduced because --------------- Date .Author TY'I THE POLITICS OF REPRESSION:- ~GENTINA, 1976{7p (TITLE) '-' BY NATTASIN CHONGSANGUAN THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN THE GRADUATE SCHOOL, EASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY CHARLESTON, ILLINOIS 1981 YEAR I HEREBY RECOMMEND THIS THESIS BE ACCEPTED AS FULFILLING THIS PART OF THE GRADUATE DEGREE CITED ABOVE / DATE 10/1/sJ DATE DATE ATE THE POLITICS OF REPRESSION ARGENTINA, 1976-79 An Abstract Argentina in 1976 was a place of unusual paradox. The government with more than 60% of the popular vote seemed to have crumbled to the ground with almost no backing from those who had put it into office. Its downfall was due to its inability to resolve the "national crisis" facing the nation. On 24 March 1976, the military finally intervened via a coup d'etat. Under the new regime, violations of human rights have been reported and protests have been made by lead­ ing human rights movements. The military junta argues that its policies and course of actions are necessary for the res­ toration of civic and economic order and the elimination of an internal threat from communism. What plunged Argentina into a state of chaos was violence, which has mounted progressively since the late-50s as groups with widely different political objectives and con­ ceptions struggle for power. The utilization of violence 410002 spread like a contagious disease from which no one remains immune. Tragically being touched are the lives of a growing number of defenseless victims who are either kidnapped, dis­ appear, or even coldly murdered. Indiscriminate and unres­ tricted acts of violence have turned every place one can ima­ gine into a battlefield in which there is no known refuge. Few countries in the world have experienced a dete­ rioration of human rights conditions comparable to that felt in Argentina in recent years. This study attempts to present the inevitable contradiction between a government deploying tactics of repression to resolve the very political and eco­ nomic problems repression aggravates. Naturally, it is accep­ tableto most people that a government must maintain public order and preserve the safety of its subjects. Further, it is also acceptable that in the life of any nation, threats to the public order or to the personal safety of its inhabitants, by persons or groups that use violence, can reach such proportions that it becomes necessary, temporarily, to suspend the privi­ lege of certain human rights. But to use terror as a form of regular and normal government? When a government enjoys a broad popular support, which is the case of the Videla regime, it seems certain that the method of confronting the threat of "left-wing terrorisn" through legal means will always be successful. The reestab­ lishment of civic and economic order can not possibly be achieved by undertaking acts of establishment terroriso. This necessitates the search for alternative solutions. THE POLITICS OF REPRESSION: ARGENTINA, 1976-79 by Nattasin Chongsanguan Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of :MASTER OF ARTS Department of Political Science Eastern Illinois University Charleston, Illinois Fall 1981 Y con los pobres de la tierra quiero yo m1 suerte echar: el arroyo de la sierra me complace masque el mar. From Versos Sencillos Jos~ Mart! (1853-1895) ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Numerous are the debts I have incurred in complet­ ing this thesis. My gratitude goes to my family whose love and encouragements have been the driving force in my academic career. I am very grateful to Dr. Abdul Lateef for his pa­ tience, his kind words, and his typically brilliant critiques. It is due to his understandings and encouragements that the fruits of the long periods of research were bore. IVly appreciation goes to Dr. Lawrance Bates. He took the time to look over the economic section of this thesis and willingly offered his suggestions to amerioate its weak points. My appreciation also goes to Dr. John Faust who willingly accepted to be on my committee. Both Drs. Bates and Faust's contributions to the final version of the thesis are innumerable, I am very grateful to them, , Alejandro and Santiago del Pino, Rebonto Guha, Maytee Leelawat, Fernando Messmer-Trigo, Lu1s Marla Ricci, Robin Romans, and Rod Johnson did not have anything to do with this thesis in a direct sense but for tneir intellectual contri­ butions they deserve the recognition they merit. i I would also like to express my appreciation to Colonel Ernesto Alias, the Agregado Militar, of the Argentine Embassy in Paris. It was he who furnished me with many use­ ful documents on the revolutionary terrorists' activities in Argentina. My thanks go to Senor Marcelo Lugones, an Argentine publisher, who enthusiastically gave me an opportunity to interview him about the political situation in Argentina. His experiences are indeed extraordinary. Also to those who have helped me gather documents for this thesis at the Amnesty International headquarters both in Paris and in New York, my thanks go to them. I would also like to thank Fabienne Benely. It is she who assisted me in the translation of the French texts and provided me with constructive criticism of the work. Needless to say, none of the above mentioned bears responsability for errors or other shortcomings contained in this thesis. Natt Chongsanguan Fall 1981 Charleston, Illinois TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS •.•.••.... I I •• I i CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION An Overview . 1 Statement of the Problem, J Definitions 4 Delimitation of the Study , .. 7 Related Literature • , , ••.• 8 Procedures . , . I I 9 2. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Argentina Today . I I • . 12 Historical Background . 15 J. THE ECONOMY The Economy . 27 International Trade . JO Assessments . 0 . JJ 4. ARGENTINA, 1976-79 The Fall of Isabelita . I . J8 Terrorism . • . 42 The Disappeared . I . I . 48 Torture . • . 'I . • . 50 (cont'd. ) CONCLUSION Reality is the only Truth . , . , . , , , 54 High Flying Adored. , ....•. , . , . 57 The Coup to End all Coups 58 Terrorism and Repressive Politics 59 Cry Not for Argentina ... , .. 62 A Concluding Word . 65 APPENDICES I. Profile II. Newspapers and Magazines Circulation in Greater Buenos Aires III, Political and Civil Rights in Argentina, 1972-78 IV, Chronology of Terror, 1968-76 V. Terrorist Groups SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY : - AN OVERVIEW Argentina in 1976 was a place of an unusual paradox (see eg., Fernandez, 1976; Jordan, 1977; Rock, 1978; Smith, 1980). The government with more than 60% of popular votes seemed to have crumbled to the ground --with almost no sup­ port from those who have put it to office because of its in­ ability to solve the crisis nacional (national crisis) facing the nation (see eg., Fernandez, 1976; Jordan, 1977 and 1979), Indeed, the government of Marfa Estela Mart!nez de Per6n faced not only problems of political violence 1 but also the rapid deterioration of the Argentine economy. 2 The military was reluctant to intervene in the political processes despite increasing urges of the masses to do so. What was evident, 1. Violence is deep rooted. It became widespreaded since 1969 and mounted progressively from the left to the right as groups with different political objectives and con­ ceptions struggled for power. Terrorism had also taken on broad dimensions. Bombings, robberies, kidnappings, and assassinations for political purposes were not uncommon. This was what Isabel Peron inherited (see eg., Fernandez, 1976; Rock, 1978). 2. In 1974, inflation rose to 40.1% (Jordan, 1977: 5). The increase was the result of the imposition of wage and price controls which furthered the distortions in the economy. In 1975, several attempts (the repeal of the absentee clause oi' the labor law, the granting oi' permission for state-owned companies to charge prices covering costs, the encouragement for foreign investment, and the attempt to curtail the budget deficit) were made to lower the rapid rise in prices and to check the worsening of the balance of payment (OAS, 1979: 2). These attempts, however, produced no result. 1 2 however, was a strong sense of disunity between both the government and the military. 3 On the one hand the govern­ ment feared that by asking the military to help it solve the political crisis --the mounting violence that seemed intermi­ nable-- would, in fact, be inviting military rule again.