Page 49 - All About History - Issue 54-17
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Bluffer’s Guide
REVOLUCIÓN LIBERTADORA
What was it?
After a decade of rule, Argentine President Juan Perón
was deposed in a military coup, which began on 16
June 1955, when navy and air force rebels bombed
the presidential palace in Buenos Aires. Their target was
Perón himself, but instead they hit a large crowd of his
supporters that had gathered in the nearby Plaza de Mayo
during a day of demonstrations. On the ground, navy
marine commandos tried to take the palace, but the army
and civilians armed with sticks, knives and pistols put
down the uprising. Over 300 civilians were killed in the
massacre, including a trolleybus full of children that was
accidentally bombed. That night, angry pro-Perón mobs
burned 11 churches in retaliation.
On 16 September, following a public speech in which
Perón encouraged his supporters, their opponents in both
the army and air force units revolted, seizing the city of
Córdoba. The navy followed suit, sending warships to
blockade Buenos Aires. On 18 September, a cruiser shelled
the dock and nearby oil refineries. Fearing the Revolución
Libertadora – or ‘Liberating Revolution’ – would turn into an
all-out civil war, Perón resigned and fled to Paraguay.
Why did it happen?
Perón was a demagogue who came to power in 1946
with support from the working class. His greatest
political asset was his wife, Eva ‘Evita’ Perón, a glamorous
actress turned champion of the people, who acted as his
Minister for Labour and Health and was named Spiritual
Leader of the Nation. Her death in 1952 could not have
come at a worse time — Argentina’s economy was in crisis
and Perón had to scrap many of his populist policies.
Rumours swirled about orgies and a relationship with a
13-year-old schoolgirl. As his support diminished, Perón
grew more authoritarian and hostile to public criticism.
The final straw was his falling out with the Catholic
Church. Trying to win support from liberals, he legalised
divorce and removed religious instruction from schools.
The Church protested, causing the Argentine Congress to
Did expel two priests to Italy. When the Vatican threatened
excommunication for those responsible, deeply
you know? conservative high-ups in the military turned on Perón.
Perón was criticised for Who was involved?
Argentina’s 40 per cent
inflation rate, but it got Juan Domingo Perón
much worse. By 1989, it 8 October 1895 – 1 July 1974
Three-time President of Argentina, his
had reached 12,000
complex and authoritarian politics combined
per cent! social justice with economic security.
María Eva Duarte de Perón
7 May 1919 – 26 July 1952
Born poor and illegitimate, Evita rose to
16 JUNE 1955 16 SEPTEMBER 1955
fame as an actress and became the most
influential woman in Argentina’s history.
The Argentine Navy Nationalist Catholics,
and Air Force backed by the
attempt a coup army and navy, General Eduardo Lonardi
by bombing a launch a new coup 15 September 1896 – 22 March 1956
pro-Perón rally. from the city of He led the 1955 coup but was quickly
30 planes drop Córdoba. Perón
10 tons of bombs, flees for his life on replaced by the military junta as he was © Getty Images
killing 364 civilians. a gunboat. too conciliatory towards Perón’s supporters.
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