CRISTINO NICOLAIDES - ARGENTINA - 1982/06/30

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Argentina Declassification Project - The "Dirty War" (1976-83)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06627120
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: April 3, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 12, 2019
• Publication Date: June 30, 1982

Approved for Release: 2018/09/17 C06627120
EU 1-,3b2b T I J
EO 13526 �3.3(b)(1)>25Yrs
EO 13526
3.5(c)
3.3(b)(1)
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Cristino NICOLAIDES
(Phonetic: neekoLYEdehs)
Commander in Chief, Army; Mem-
ber, Ruling Junta (since 18
June 1982)
Addressed as:
General Nicolaides
Lt. Gen. Cristino Nico-
laides is a conservative, un-
compromising hardliner. A
good friend of former Presi-
dent Leopoldo Galtieri's, he
supported Galtieri's bid for
power in 1981 and maintained a
low profile when Galtieri de-
cided to seize control of the Falkland Islands from
Great Britain in April 1982. Nicolaides was critical
of Galtieri's handling of the ensuing war, however, and
rejected any kind of aid from the Soviet Union. After
Argentina's defeat he joined other generals in disap-
proving Galtieri's plan to continue the war and thus
helped to force his friend's resignation.ff
ARGENTINA
3.5(c)
Some military officers--both active and retired--
oppose Nicolaides because they consider him unable to
communicate effectively with political parties and
trade unions. He is widely known to be suspicious of
any trend toward allowing parties to participate in
government. While serving as commander of III Corps in
COrdOba in 1981, he quarreled with the Radical Civic
Union party over what he interpreted as subvers'
statements on the part of some of its members.
Career
After graduating from the Argentine Military Acad-
emy as an engineer, Nicolaides received advanced train-
ing at the School of Engineering. He has served as a
military attache to Paraguay and as director of the
School of Services. During his tenure as commander of
the 7th Infantry Brigade in 1977, he put a stop to ter-
rorist activity in Corrientes. Nicolaides was chief of
operations for the Army General Staff from 1978 until
1979 and then director of the Military Institutes
through 1980. He was given command of the powerful I
(cont.
CR
CR M 82-13433
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17;
ONLY
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5623103
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Approved for Release: 2018/09/17 C06627120
Corps in December 1981. He received his present rank
rwhenlhe was appointed Commander in Chief of the Army.
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30 June 1982
� 2 �
--swMT
Approved for Release: 2018/09/17 C06627120
3.5(c)
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