REVOLT IN ARMY

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28992, 5 September 1959, Page 13

REVOLT IN ARMY

Buenos Aires Crisis

(Rec. 11 p.m.) BUENOS AIRES, Sept. 4. The Argentine Government today ordered loyalist tank forces 20 miles outside Buenos Aires to advance on the capital and crush a rebellion led by the former Army Commander-in-Chief, General Toranzo Montero, who was dismissed two days ago. The rebels, backed by a large section of the Army in the city and provinces, early today took over the Army Mechanical College in Buenos Aires and barricaded the surrounding roads with commandeered buses, cars and lorries. The college is being used as headquarers by the dismissed commander.

General Montero, a staunch anti-Peronist, issued a proclamation saying he had decided to establish himself as Commander-in-Chief in defence of the Constitution.

After an emergency Cabinet meeting early today the Minister of Economics, Mr Alvaro Alsogaray, called at the Mechanical College to demand the General’s surrender—apparently unsuccessfully as the troops there continued barricading the zone. The Cordoba garrison issued a warning that “any action of force against General Montero will plunge the country into a situation whose results are impossible to foresee.”

General Toranzo Montero said in a radio statement he did not intend to “alter constitutional order.”

Shortly after 2 a.m. President Frondizi conferred with a group of ministers, Congressmen, and armed forces leaders in Government House.

The dismissal of the popular General Montero split the Army and led the War Secretary, General Anaya, to order the arrest of 17 generals who backed the Com-mander-in-Chief.

Pro-Montero forces reinforced guards and placed buses and lorries around the school barracks after hearing that President Frondizi had ordered troops to quell the uprising

There was no indication of the strength of the forces the President could count on. A majority of the Army indicated that they were siding with General Montero when his dismissal was announced yesterday. The school where General Montero proclaimed he was resuming command houses about 2000 soldiers and is heavily guarded. The rebellion appeared to be confined to the military, with General Montero merely trying to hold his command. There were no immediate indications that any actual coup against the Government itself was planned.