Military Pressure For Peronist Ban

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29803, 21 April 1962, Page 11

Military Pressure For Peronist Ban

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

BUENOS AIRES, April 20.

The Argentine armed forces today demanded that the Government act immediately to annul Peronist election victories and to ban the party from further political activity, United Press International reported.

A Government decree cancelling the March 18 election results, in which the Peronists won 11 Governorships and 43 Congressional seats, was expected. Troops were ordered into Buenos Aires and the immediate vicinity after officers of the three armed services held all-night meetings and were closeted with President Guido until nearly 5 a.m. pressing him to bar the followers of the deposed dictator. Juan Peron. from politics once again. The Peronists have threatened violence if they are denied their Congressional seats on May 1. The secretaries of the Army, Navy and Air Force went to Mr Guido’s house at mid-afternoon for emergency talks, after meeting with him virtually all morning in the Presidential palace, Mr Guido was reported to be holding off the military from precipitate action, not because he objected to force being used against the Peronists, but because he wanted the Congress to legislate another six months of life for his three-week-old caretaker regime. The resignation yesterday of the Interior Minister. Mr Rodolfo Martinez, a leading Government proponent of a soft line toward followers of Peron. indicated that the hard line backed by the military would be employed to solve the political crisis, according to UP I. According to a Senate source, all Cabinet members had presented their resignations to President Guido. It was reported he had asked them to hold off their resignations momentarily, pending a new effort to talk the military out of its determination to use force if necessary. A partial if not total Cabinet reorganisation appeared inevitable There was little hope President Guido could persuade the armed forges leaders to listen to his plea His new Government appeared to be wilting under the same pressures as forced out President Arturo Frondizi last month

Early today the Federal police headquarters announced 'hat 156 persons “of

known militance in communism and its allied organisations” were arrested in a series of lightning raids in Buenos Aires and interior cities.

The communique said the police also seized "great quantities" of ideological propaganda and arms of diverse types. He said they were made "to counteract the intense subversive campaign” being waged by Leftists. The police raids were carried out in such major cities as Buenos Aires. La Plata. Tucuman and Santa Rosa.