Army chief General Oscar Santiago Zarich ordered the administrative discharge of 34 soldiers with firm convictions for crimes against humanity from the dictatorship era. The decision, prompted by the Procuraduría de Investigaciones Administrativas, results in the loss of benefits such as retirements and pensions. It emerged during the week marking the 50th anniversary of the 1976 coup.
The Argentine Army has discharged 34 soldiers convicted of crimes against humanity, per a resolution from its chief, General Oscar Santiago Zarich. The move followed a submission from the Procuraduría de Investigaciones Administrativas (PIA), which two weeks earlier identified 78 cases in the Armed Forces with firm convictions yet to be acted upon.
It targets one retired lieutenant colonel and 33 non-commissioned officers, including Juan Daniel Amelong, who faces multiple convictions, including life sentences, for crimes during the last military dictatorship. Those affected will lose military status, retirements, pensions, and health coverage.
The measure was formalized on March 26, after a report exposed repressors with firm sentences still receiving retirement benefits. It has caused discomfort within the Armed Forces, with more agents pending discharge. This is not the first such action: in early 2025, then-Defense Minister Luis Petri ordered the discharge of 23 similar cases.
The PIA pointed to shortcomings in implementing discharges, including delays, fragmented responses, and a lack of tracking mechanisms to enforce judicial sentences.
