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HT This Day: June 17, 1955 -- Mutiny breaks out in Argentina
Naval Air Force units rebelled today against Gen. Juan Peron’s Government, ex-communicated only a few hours earlier by the Vatican, according to an official Government ‘communique.’
Naval Air Force units rebelled today against Gen. Juan Peron’s Government, ex-communicated only a few hours earlier by the Vatican, according to an official Government ‘communique.’
The Government ex-communicated for its moves against the Roman Catholic Church, appealed to the armed forces to remain loyal but a clandestine radio broadcast a call for general revolt. Five bombs were dropped near Government House. Shooting was heard all over the city as soldiers with fixed bayonets crowded the streets.
Machine-guns were mounted round Government House and artillery fire was heard in the western suburbs. Tanks were reported moving into the city. There were rumours of a revolt in all the three armed forces and some casualties were reported. The bombs were dropped by jet planes.
The official ‘communique’ announcing the revolt by naval airmen said one plane had been shot down and three others forced to land. It said the situation in Buenos Aires was returning to normal and that the rest of the country was calm. It asked the people to pay no attention to Uruguayan Radio.
One radio station had said Gen. Peron was dead but after this brief claim it was silent. The President is believed to be in Government House.
The pro-Peron Confederation of Labour appealed to the workers to come out into the street to show their support for President Peron and many were this afternoon converging on the Plaza de Mayo.
Argentine Air Force jet planes will fly over the Cathedral of Buenos Aires today in an “ act of atonement “ for alleged Catholic insults to the “ Father of Argentina.” Gen. Jose San Martin, whose remains rest in the Cathedral.
The flight marks another Government criticism of Catholic groups which it has accused of inciting skirmishes last week-end around the Cathedral and outside the Con- gress building. The Archdiocesan Palace and the headquarters of the Catholic Action Movement were occupied by the police yesterday and other Catholic centres brought under police vigil here after a day of drastic Government action in the Argentine Church State dispute.
THE CAUSE
It is learnt President Peron told a mass anti-Catholic rally outside the Congress building here on Tuesday not to “ waste powder on useless birds,” and to wait for orders from him in the State-Church crisis.
More than 120,000 people had gathered to hear the President, who had rushed from his residence outside the town, to address them during their “ act of atonement for the insult to the national flag and homage to Eva Peron, his late wife.”
Demonstrators. described as Catholics, were reported on Saturday to have hoisted the Papal flag on the mast over the Congress building where the Argentine flag was flying.
While the President spoke to the crowd, friends of M Manuel Tato widely regarded as leader of the Catholic faction i’s - the present “ war “ between the Church and the State, took food and clothes to the Bishop at the police station where he is being held.
Another Government move was to address a message to Congress denouncing Senor Tomas Casares, a judge of the Supreme Court. who was inside the Cathedral during last Saturday’s skirmishes between Peronists and Catholics. This will probably lead to his impeachment.
The Archdiocese issued a statement denying that Catholics had burned the Argentine flag on Saturday night and calling on the authorities to seek proof of “ who committed this unutterable insult to our national flag.”
According to a Rio De Janeiro message, the Brazilian Government had ordered all troops in the southern area to stand by. Extra forces were being sent to the frontier.
