The '''Carapintadas''' (
Spanish: Painted Faces) were a group of mutineers in the
Argentine Army, who took part in uprisings during the
presidency of
Raúl Alfonsín in
Argentina.
In
December 1986, the ''
Ley de Punto Final'' (Full Stop Law) was introduced. This law set a 60-day deadline for the victims of the country's
Dirty War to file complaints against members of the military and police suspected of
human rights abuses.
On
April 15,
1987, military personnel headed by Lieutenant Colonel
Aldo Rico staged a series of barrack uprisings demanding that the trials of those not exempted under the law be aborted. The mutineers were all seized, but only two arrested.
The Carapintadas revolted again under Rico's command in
January 1988 in
Monte Caseros. They surrendered a few days later and 300 of the mutineers were arrested.
Another uprising took place in on December of that year, when members of the
Albatros special unit, led by
Mohammed Alí Seineldín, took control of the military barracks in
Villa Martelli. They were later followed by around 1,000 troops of the three armed forces. The mutineers surrendered days later, but only Seineldín and Major Hugo Abete were arrested. Several of the mutineers demands were conceded by the government.
On
October 1989, president elect
Carlos Menem signed a
pardon for a number of detained military men; including 39 held by events during the
military government, and 164 Carapintadas. In spite of this, on December 3,
1990 Seineldin again staged an uprising, which ended with several deaths and 300 arrested. A few days later, Menem signed the pardon for all the most important people convicted for misdeeds during the Dirty War.
References
See also
★
1989 attack on La Tablada Regiment
External links
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Military Uprisings
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"Un ataque que sorprendió a toda la dirigencia política" Clarín
★
"Asalto al cuartel de La Tablada"