Juan Carlos Onganía

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

**Juan Carlos Onganía**

Term of Office:	June 29, 1966— June 8, 1970
Predecessor:	Arturo Illia
Successor:	Roberto M. Levingston
Vice-president:	none
Date of Birth:	March 17, 1914
Place of Birth:	Marcos Paz, Buenos Aires
Date of Death:	June 8, 1995
Place of Death:	Buenos Aires
Profession:	Military
Political Party:	none

Juan Carlos Onganía Carballo (1914-1995) was a military president of Argentina from 29 June 1966 to 8 June 1970. He rose to power as military dictator after toppling (in a coup d'etat) the democratically elected president Arturo Illia.

As military dictator, Onganía supported a policy of Participacionismo, by which representatives of various interest groups such as industry, labor, and agriculture, would form committees to advise the government. Yet these committees were greatly appointed by the dictator himself. Eventually, this position was opposed by the other factions in the military, which felt that its influence in government would be diminished. Also, Ongania's ruthless government was weakened by a popular uprising of workers and students that took place in the city of Córdoba in 1969 (known as "El Cordobazo"). Led by General Alejandro Lanusse, the dominant military faction demanded that Onganía resign. When he refused, he was toppled by a military junta.

Onganía was responsible for the so-called "La Noche de los Bastones Largos" (Night of the Long Police Sticks), where university autonomy was violated, in which he ordered police to invade the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Buenos Aires; students and professors were beaten up and arrested. Many were later forced to leave the country.