Leopoldo GaltieriGaltieri was head of the Military Junta in the Falklands war. As part of the coup in 1976 which placed the Junta in power of Argentina Galtieri was placed at the head of the Second Army Corps, where he supresssed any uprisings and rebellions against the Juntain what would later be known as the "dirty war". By 1979 he was Commander in chief of the army. As support for the Junta from Argentine people fell Galteiri worked with Videla (the new president of the Junta, elected in 1981) and began planning the invasion of the Falklands islands. Galtieri forced Videla from office in December and took control as President. |
As President, Galtieri moved swiftly in assembling an invading force, aware that his popularity was low and time was of the essence to save it. He strongly believed that Thatcher's government would not respond to his invasion of the Falklands, and that it would help establish his position in power.
In the years leading up to the war, Galtieri recieved much praise from Ronald Reagan, hoping to form a rallying point against communism in the South Atlantic. In the yeras before the Falklands war both Britain and America happily sold the Junta many of their outdated equipment. This included three boats that had been decommissioned and an anti air missile system, which would be stationed as in the heavy defenses around Port Stanley, the Falklands capital city. With defeat in the Falklands war, Galtieri was forced from power. Since the war he has been imprisoned for his part in the dirty war. He died in 2002, under house arrest. |