Argentine forces oust President

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32563, 24 March 1971, Page 21

Argentine forces oust President

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) BUENOS AIRES, March 23. The Argentine Armed Forces overthrew President Roberto M. Levingston last night and announced today that a three-man military junta was taking over “political power in the nation.”

The Army turned the tables on President Levingston and removed him from office after he tried to dismiss the Army Commander -in - Chief and military junta leader, Lieutenant-Gene-ral Alejandro Lanusse. “The commanders-in-chief of the Armed Forces have decided to fire General Levingston in his functions as President of the Republic,” a communique from Army headquarters said. It added: “We have decided to assume political power in the nation until we fulfil the process of the Argentine revolution.” . The three men involved were General Lanusse, Admiral Pedro Gnavi, of the Navy, and General Carlos Alberto Rey, of the Air Force; Army leaders throughout the country also flocked behind General Lanusse. In Buenos Aires, the First Army Corps announced that Genera! Lanusse had taken charge of Army Command Headquarters, less than a block from the Presidential Palace, where General Levingston was reported to be. Army headquarters said that General Lanusse had “been invited to reassume his position as Commander-in-Chief of the Army” to “maintain absolute cohesion with all of the Armed Forces for the benefit of the nation.”

Economic problems General Levingston, aged 51, had been plagued with labour and economic problems during his nine months in the Presidential Palace. He did not make any statement after the overthrow. “The battle units under General Carlos Sanchez obey their natural chief, Lieuten-ant-General Alejandro Agustin Lanusse," said another communique from the Second Army Corps in Rosario. Other units around the country also backed General Lanusse.

General Levingston had appointed General Jorge Caceres Monie to take General Lanusse’s place. Less than one hour later General Monie,

who is the head of the Argentine Federal Police, said that he would take the job as Army Commander-in-Chief on an interim basis “to reinstate Lanusse.” Cordoba violence General Levingston originally announced he was dismissing General Lanusse, aged 53, because he “did not propose adequate measures to control violence in the city of Cordoba which caused 1300 million pesos ($2,903,000) in damage.” He also blamed General Lanusse for the bloody and costly riots in the city, which is 430 miles north-west of Buenos Aires. General Lanusse is reported to have balked at sending in Government troops to quell the labour uprising in which two people were killed. it was the second time in less than a year that an Argentine President was ousted from office. On June 8, 1970, General Lanusse led a coup against President Juan Carlos Ongania.

Ten days later, the junta of General Lanusse, Admiral Gnavi and General Rey called on General Levingston to take over the Presidency. At that time General Levingston was the Argentine representative to the InterAmerican Defence Board in Washington.