Argentine Junta during Falklands War - Bignone, Reynaldo Benito (Gen.)

Bignone, Reynaldo Benito (Gen.)

On 28th of March 1976, headed a wide operation in the Alejandro Posadas Hospital in the Haedo district. During this operation 40 people were kidnapped, the rest of the hostpital staff was discharged, and the place was converted to a secret detention center. Also served as the head of another secret detention center based in the military school in Buenos Aires.

One of the testimonies (given by Hugo Ernesto Carballo, file no. 6279) mentions a visit of high ranking officers to where he was detained in which Bignone informed the prisoners that "in a dirty war the innocent paid for the guilty."

Bignone main entry into history will probably be as the main crime cover-up architect. Bignone was already retired when he was requested by the junta to replace Galtieri as president after the defeat of the Argentine Army in the Falklands. On July 1st, 1982, two weeks after Galtieri's resignation, Bignone became the fourth and last president of the de-facto government.

Realizing that the military could not continue to govern as a result of the terrible economic depression, the increasing dissent resulting from the mass disappearances, and the rout in the Falklands war, Bignone gave explicit orders, in a confidential decree no 2726/83 to destroy every documentation related to the detained and disappeared, Then, he proceeded to organize elections to install a democratic and civilian government. Under his leadership, the junta took precautions, before the elections, of adopting a general amnesty purporting to immunize every member of the military from prosecution for any crimes committed in the so called "war against subversion."

Bignone was sentenced to prison on his part in the repression, but was released long before completing his jail period as a result of military pressure.