LIEUTENANT GENERAL LEOPOLDO FORTUNATO GALTIERI - ARGENTINA - 1981/06/01

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Argentina Declassification Project - The "Dirty War" (1976-83)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06627126
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: April 3, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 12, 2019
• Publication Date: June 1, 1981

[CIA HAS NO OBJECTION TO DECLASSIFICATION
Approved for Release: 2018/09/17 C06627126.EASE OF THIS DOCUMENT DATE:
[09-14-2018
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BIOGRAPHIC SKETCH
ARGENTINA
Lieutenant General Leopoldo Fortunato GALTIERI
June 1981
(U) NAME: Lieutenant General Leopoldo Fortunato
Galtieri (gahl-tee-EHR-ee), Army.
(U) POSITION: Commander in Chief of the Argentine
Army and a member of the ruling Military Junta,
since 1 January 1980. General Galtieri succeeded
.Lieutenant General Roberto Viola.
(S/NOFORN) SIGNIFICANCE: With the exception of
President Roberto Viola, General Galtieri is one of
the most powerful personalites in Argentina.
Galtieri's star began it rapid ascendency in the
aborted mini rebellion staged by then III Corps
Commander (Major General) Luciano Menendez in
September 1979: Galtieri's appointment to the
leadership of the Army in January 1980, reaffirmed the increasingly powerful
role of the politico/military moderates, and an Infantry Branch victory in
its internecine rivalry with the Cavalry. Although an Engineer, Galtieri
has solid support from the Infantry. He has consistently enjoyed the full
backing of former President Rafael Videla, and of his successor, General
(Ret) Viola, former Commander in Chief of the Army. Galtieri's political
views in the past generally are considered to have mirrored those of the
then Videla/Viola team. Today, as Commander in Chief of the Army, his hand
has been strengthened during the course of political events, and he is now
one of the key people in the decisionmaking process. General Galtieri has
received extensive training in the United States.
(C/NOFORN) POLITICS: General Galtieri supports and is a part of the ruling
government. His anti-Peronist stance led to his forced resignation in 1954
by the government of then President Juan Peron, but he was reinstated in
September 1955. In the mid-seventies, it is alleged that he had made
contact with Peronist leaders. General Galtieri was known to be pro-United
States, no doubt having been influenced by his student days at the US Army
School of the Americas, Fort Gulick, Canal Zone (1949) and the US Army
Engineer School, Fort Belvoir, Virginia (1960-1961). As Chief of the
Department of Logistics and Finance, Army General Staff (1973-1974),
Galtieri had an important role in the acquisition of United States arms and
equipment. US personnel responsible for the military assistance (sales and
grants) program found him cooperative and helpful. His attitude toward the
Carter administration's human rights policy is not known, but his own record
in this area as a military commander is positive.
(C/NOFORN) PERSONAL DATA: Galtieri was born on 15 July 1926 at Buenos
Aires, Argentina. He is of medium build (about 6'3" or 1.9 m; 190 lbs or 86
kg), with blue eyes, and brown hair. He has a tall commanding presence, but
(u)
1973
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ARGENTINA
Lieutenant General Leopoldo Fortunato GALTIERI
June 1981
sometimes appears to stoop. He suffered a mild heart attack in July 1973
from which he has apparently recovered. Galtieri is a practicing Roman
Catholic. He has a poor command of the English language. A friendly and
open person, he speaks slowly and deliberately. He is married to the former
Lucia Noemi Gentili. She is a practicing Roman Catholic. They have three
(3) children: Adriana Sara (0, born about 1953; Diana (0, born about
1954; Carlos (m) born about 1958.
(U) CAREER:
1943-1945 - Cadet, National Military Academy, Buenos Aires, February
1943-December 1945. Commissioned Third Lieutenant, 13
December 1945.
1945 - Assigned to Fifth Engineer Battalion.
- Student, Engineer School, Campo de Mayo, Buenos Aires.
1947 - Promoted to Second Lieutenant, 31 December.
- Instructor, Sargento Cabral Noncommissioned Officers School,
Campo de Mayo, Buenos Aires.
1949 - Student, Basic Engineer Course, US Army School of the
Americas, Fort Gulick, Canal Zone, June-October. Promoted to
First Lieutenant, 31 December.
- Assigned to 4th Engineer Battalion.
1952 - Promoted to Captain, 31 December.
1952-1953 - Student, Superior War School, Buenos Aires.
1954-1955 - Break in service (forced to leave service because of anti-
Peronist activities); returned to service after ouster of
Peron, September 1955).
1957 - Student, Superior War School, Buenos Airesl(resumed studies
that had begun in 1952-1953). Promoted to Major, 3 December.
- Staff Officer, Army General Staff.
1960-1961 - Student (Advanced Engineer Course 5A-C4), US Army Engineer
.School, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, August 1960-January 1961.
1961-1962 - Assigned to Engineer Command Inspectorate.
2
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ARGENTINA
Lieutenant General Leopoldo Fortunato GALTIERI
June 1981
1963-1964 - Instructor, Superior War School, Buenos Aires.
1965-1967 - Deputy Director, Engineer School, Campo de Mayo, Buenos
Aires. Rank as of May 1965: Lieutenant Colonel.
1968 - Student, Superior Strategy (Colonels) Course, Superior War
School, Buenos Aires.
1969-1970 - Commander, 121st Engineer Construction Battalion.
1971-1972 - Deputy Chief, Engineer Command.
1972 - Promoted to Brigadier General, 31 December.
1973 - Commander, "Comodoro Rivadavia" 9th Infantry Brigade,
January-June.
1973-1974 - Chief, Department IV (Logistics and Finance), Army General
Staff, June 1973-January 1974.
1974 - Commander, 7th Infantry Brigade, Buenos Aires, as of January.
1975 - Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff, II Army Corps, Rosario,
May-September 1975 (apparently also served as acting
Commander).
1975 - Chief, Department III (Operations), Army General Staff,
September-December.
1975-1976 - Deputy Chief, Army General Staff, December 1975-October
1976.
1976-1979 - Commander, II Army Corps, Rosario, 12 October 1976-26
January 1979. Promoted to Major General, 1 January 1977.
Official visit to Brazil, July 1977.
1979-1980 -
1980-Present
- Commander, I Army Corps, Palermo, from 1 Feibruary 1979-1
January 1980._
- Commander in Chief of the Argentine Army, and concurrently,
a member of the three man Military Junta, from 1 January
1980. Promoted to Lieutenant General, 1 January 1980.
PREPARED BY: Linda Renteria, DIA/DB-3E1
3
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