Argentina Quote by Benjamin Dangl
““From 1976 to 1983, Washington supported a devastating military dictatorship in Argentina that ran all branches of government, outlawed elections, and encouraged school and business leaders to provide information on subversive people. The administration took control of the police, banned political and union organizations, and tried to eliminate all oppositional elements in the country through harassment, torture, and murder. Journalists, students, and union members faced a particularly large amount of bloody repression, thus ridding the nation of a whole generation of social movement leaders. As was the case in other Latin American countries, the threat of communism and armed guerrilla movements was used as an excuse for Argentina's dictatorial crackdowns. Hundreds of torture camps and prisons were created. Many of the dead were put into mass graves or thrown out of places into the ocean. Five hundred babies of the murdered were given to torturers' families and the assets of the dead totaling in the tens of millions of dollars, were all divided up among the perpetrators of the nightmare. Thirty thousand people were killed in Argentina's repression.””
About This Quote
Source Historical Report: US Foreign Policy in Argentina, 1976‑1983, compiled by Benjamin Dangl, 2020
US support enabled a brutal Argentine dictatorship, causing massive human rights abuses.
In simple terms: US backed a repressive regime.
Critically assess foreign interventions.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- academic research
- policy analysis
- human rights advocacy
- educational curricula
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What lessons can modern policymakers learn?
- How should accountability be pursued?
Complex motives behind policy decisions.