Reynaldo Bignone

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Reynaldo Bignone
President of Argentina
De facto
In office
July 1, 1982 – December 10, 1983
Preceded byAlfredo Oscar Saint Jean
Succeeded byRaul Alfonsín
Personal details
Born
Reynaldo Benito Antonio Bignone

(1928-01-21)January 21, 1928
Morón, Buenos Aires, Argentina
DiedMarch 7, 2018(2018-03-07) (aged 90)
Buenos Aires, Argentina
NationalityArgentine
Alma materNational War College
ProfessionMilitary
Military service
Branch/serviceArgentine Army
Years of service1947 – 1981
RankMajor General

Reynaldo Benito Antonio Bignone (January 21, 1928 – March 7, 2018) was an Argentine general. He was the dictatorial President of Argentina from July 1, 1982 to December 10, 1983. In 2010, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison for his role in the kidnappings, torture, and murders of the Dirty War.[1] Along with Omar Graffigna, he was one of the last two surviving members of the military dictatorship Juntas.[1]

Bignone was born on January 21, 1928 in Morón, Buenos Aires, Argentina. He studied at the National War College. He was never married and had no children.

On April 20, 2010, Bignone was sentenced to 25 years in prison for his involvement in the kidnapping, torture and murder of 56 people, including guerrilla fighters,[2] at the extermination center in the Campo de Mayo military complex.[3][4] On April 14, 2011, Reynaldo Bignone was sentenced to life in prison.[5]

On December 29, 2011, Bignone received a further 15-year prison sentence for crimes against humanity. That was for setting up a secret torture center inside a hospital during the 1976 military coup.[6]

On July 5, 2012, Bignone was sentenced to 15 years in prison. That was for his participation in a scheme to steal babies from parents detained by the military regime. According to the court decision, Bignone was an accomplice "in the crimes of theft, retention and hiding of minors, as well as replacing their identities."[7]

Bignone died on March 7, 2018 at the military hospital in Buenos Aires from congestive heart failure caused by septic shock after suffering a broken hip at the age of 90.[8]

References[change | change source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 New York Times: 25 Years for Leader of Argentine Dictatorship
  2. Condenan a 25 años de cárcel a Reynaldo Bignone, el último dictador argentino. ELMUNDO. 22/04/10.
  3. WaPo[permanent dead link]
  4. NPR[permanent dead link]
  5. "Argentine's Last Dictator Reynaldo Bignone Sentenced to Life in Prison for Crimes Against Humanity". hispanicallyspeakingnews.com. Archived from the original on 18 April 2011. Retrieved 16 April 2011.
  6. "Argentine dictator convicted of 1976 torture in hospital". USA Today. December 29, 2011. Archived from the original on 2011-12-30. Retrieved 29 December 2011.
  7. "Former dictators found guilty in Argentine baby-stealing trial". CNN. July 5, 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  8. "Murió Reynaldo Bignone, el último presidente de la dictadura" [Reynaldo Bignone, the last president of the dictatorship, has died] (in Spanish). Infobae. March 7, 2018. Retrieved March 2, 2018.