Luciano Benjamín Menéndez
Luciano Benjamín Menéndez (19 June 1927 – 27 February 2018) was a former Argentine general and convicted human rights violator and murderer. He served as Commander of the Third Army Corps from 1975 to 1979. He played a prominent role as a murder of social activists. He ordered mass arrests of hundreds of trade union members, students, teachers, journalists and anyone else suspected of collaborating with left-wing guerrillas.
Luciano Benjamín Menéndez | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Provisional Federal Interventor of Córdoba | |
| In office 19 September – 20 September 1975 | |
| Preceded by | Raúl Lacabanne |
| Succeeded by | Raúl Bercovich Rodríguez |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 19 June 1927 San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Died | 27 February 2018 (aged 90) Córdoba, Argentina |
| Profession | Military officer |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Argentine Army |
Convictions
After the dictatorship ended in 1983, Menéndez (as a top officer) fell outside the purview of the Ley de Obediencia Debida ("Law of Due Obedience") and was accused of nearly 800 crimes. In 1988 he was indicted with 47 homicides, 76 instances of torture (4 of them followed by death) and 4 kidnappings of minors.
In August 2008, Menéndez, along with fellow general Antonio Domingo Bussi, was found guilty of the forced disappearance and murder of politician Guillermo Vargas Aignasse and sentenced to a further life sentence.[1]
On 4 July 2014 Menéndez and Luis Estrella were found guilty of ordering the murder of Enrique Angelelli, bishop of La Rioja, Argentina, in August 1976. He received an additional life sentence.[2]
Death
Menéndez died in Córdoba, Argentina on 27 February 2018 of complications from heart failure at the age of 90.[3]
References
- ↑ (in Spanish) Condenan a perpetua a Bussi y a Menéndez por una desaparición Archived 2008-09-12 at the Wayback Machine, Clarín, 28 August 2008.
- ↑ "Argentinian retired officers sentenced to life over murder of Catholic bishop" in The Guardian (5 July 2014)
- ↑ Brutal Argentine 'Dirty War' ex-general Menendez dies at 90
Other websites
Media related to Luciano Benjamín Menéndez at Wikimedia Commons