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Roberto D'Aubuisson
Former Salvadoran Military Leader
Death squad organizer
Overview
Major Roberto D'Aubuisson Arrieta was a Salvadoran military intelligence officer who organized death squads responsible for thousands of killings during El Salvador civil war. He is most infamously known as the mastermind behind the 1980 assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero and the founder of the far-right ARENA party.
Key Affiliations
Controversies & Concerns
Masterminded the March 24, 1980 assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero, who was shot while celebrating Mass after publicly calling on soldiers to stop killing civilians
Organized and directed death squads responsible for the murders of thousands of Salvadoran civilians, trade unionists, clergy, and political opponents during the civil war
Founded the Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA) party in 1981, which served as a political front for death squad activities
The UN Truth Commission for El Salvador explicitly named him as responsible for ordering the assassination of Archbishop Romero
Received covert support from elements within the U.S. government and CIA despite documented evidence of his role in death squad killings
Related Investigations (3)
Sources & Documentation
1 documented sources from official records, investigations, and reports
Personal Information
Education
- •Salvadoran Military Academy
Key Timeline
1979-10-15
Began organizing death squads after the reform coup
1980-03-24
Archbishop Oscar Romero assassinated on his orders
1981-09-30
Founded the ARENA party
1984-05-06
Lost presidential election to Jose Napoleon Duarte
1992-03-15
UN Truth Commission names him as Romero assassination mastermind
1992-02-20
Died of throat cancer at age 48