Overview

Lieutenant General Leopoldo Fortunato Galtieri served as the de facto President of Argentina from December 1981 to June 1982 as head of the military junta. His regime continued the Dirty War's systematic campaign of state terrorism that ultimately killed or "disappeared" an estimated 30;000 people; mostly young activists; students; union leaders; and suspected leftists. Victims were detained in secret torture centers; subjected to extreme abuse; and many were drugged and thrown alive from planes into the Atlantic Ocean in what became known as "death flights." In April 1982; Galtieri ordered the invasion of the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) in a transparent attempt to distract the Argentine public from economic collapse and human rights abuses. The war lasted 74 days and resulted in the deaths of 649 Argentine soldiers; 255 British servicemen; and 3 Falkland Islanders. Argentina's humiliating defeat led to Galtieri's ouster and the collapse of the military junta; ultimately leading to Argentina's return to democracy. Galtieri maintained close ties to the United States through Operation Condor; a CIA-backed coordination of South American military dictatorships to eliminate leftist opposition across borders. The Reagan administration initially supported Galtieri's junta before the Falklands War complicated the relationship. Galtieri was convicted of crimes in connection with the Falklands War in 1986 and later charged with human rights abuses; though he died before the Dirty War trials concluded.

Key Affiliations

Controversies & Concerns

Related Investigations (2)

Known Associates & Connections

Sources & Documentation

2 documented sources from official records, investigations, and reports