Reynaldo Bignone

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Reynaldo Bignone

De Facto President of Argentina
In office July 1, 1982 – December 10, 1983
Preceded by	Alfredo Saint-Jean
Succeeded by	Raul Alfonsin

Born	January 21, 1928 Morón, Buenos Aires
Profession	Military

Reynaldo Benito Antonio Bignone Ramayón (born January 21, 1928) is a former Argentine general and the de facto president of the country from July 1, 1982 to December 10, 1983.

He became leader of the country after former President Leopoldo Galtieri had stepped down after Argentina's defeat by the UK in the Falklands War. His power did not last long; without the Falkland Islands as an issue and newly allowed to express certain degrees of dissent under Galtieri, Argentine protests made the restoration of democracy inevitable. Nevertheless, General Bignone tried to condition the return to democracy by imposing limits to any future investigation of human-rights violations that had taken place during the 1976-1983 military dictatorship. This proposal was soundly rejected by the civilian political parties and opened the way to the trials ordered by Raúl Alfonsín in 1983.

On 1999, after the reopening of trials for misappropriation of children, Bignone was put again at justice's disposal. On account of his advanced age, he is currently (October of 2006) under house arrest.