Jorge Rafael Videla

Biography of Jorge Rafael Videla

Jorge Rafael Videla, a name that echoes through Argentina’s grimmest times, came into the world on August 2, 1925, in Mercedes, Buenos Aires Province. He was the third of five boys born to Colonel Rafael Eugenio Videla Bengolea and María Olga Redondo Ojea. Military and political roots ran deep in his family—his grandfather Jacinto once governed San Luis Province, and his great-great-grandfather Blas Videla battled in Argentina’s fight for independence. That heritage nudged Videla toward a life shaped by soldiering and power.

Early Life and Education

Videla grew up in a well-off home steeped in discipline and old-school values. At 17, in 1942, he stepped into the National Military College (Colegio Militar de la Nación), where he shone brightly and walked out as a second lieutenant in 1944. Later, from 1952 to 1954, he sharpened his skills at the War College, earning a staff officer’s title. Those years molded him into a man driven by duty, setting the stage for his climb to the top of Argentina’s military ladder.

Personal Life

On April 7, 1948, Videla tied the knot with Alicia Raquel Hartridge, whose father was an English Argentine diplomat. They stayed together until his death in 2013, raising seven kids along the way. Videla kept his private life under wraps, often eclipsed by the storm of his political choices. Through thick and thin—trials and jail time—Alicia stood by him.

Professional Career and Rise to Power

Videla’s military journey unfolded over decades, with steady climbs up the ranks and a growing grip on Argentina’s armed forces. By 1975, he’d made it to lieutenant general and landed the role of General Commander of the Army under President Isabel Perón, right as the country wobbled politically. But things soured fast between her government and the military, sparking a coup on March 24, 1976. Videla took the helm of that takeover and stepped in as Argentina’s de facto president. From 1976 to 1981, he ran the military junta during what folks now call the "Dirty War." It was a brutal stretch, with his regime cracking down hard on anyone they pegged as a left-wing troublemaker. Human rights groups figure 13,000 to 30,000 people vanished—snatched up, tortured, or killed. Many ended up in hidden camps, while others were dumped from planes into the Atlantic or River Plate, their fates buried with them. Videla brushed it off as the tough stuff needed to fight terrorism and keep Argentina from falling apart amid economic woes. Still, his harsh moves drew outrage at home and abroad for their sheer ruthlessness.

Contributions and Controversies

Videla’s time in charge isn’t remembered for any grand achievements but for the wreckage it left behind. His junta teamed up with other South American dictatorships in Operation Condor, a cross-border hunt to wipe out political foes. One of the ugliest stains was the stealing of babies born to imprisoned mothers—those kids handed off to military families or officials while their parents were killed. Even after democracy swept back in 1983, Videla didn’t back down, insisting the crackdown saved the country from ruin.

Trial and Imprisonment

Once democracy took root again, Videla faced the music in the 1985 Trial of the Juntas. Found guilty of crimes against humanity, he got a life sentence. In 1990, President Carlos Menem’s pardons let him off the hook, but the Supreme Court scrapped those in 2007, hauling him back to court. In 2010, he was slapped with life again for ordering executions after his coup. Then, in 2012, he caught a 50-year term for masterminding the baby thefts during his rule.

Death and Legacy

Jorge Rafael Videla passed away on May 17, 2013, at 87, locked up in Marcos Paz prison in Buenos Aires Province. Word is he took a nasty fall in the shower days earlier, dying from broken bones and internal bleeding. Videla’s name still carries a heavy shadow. He’s seen as one of Latin America’s cruelest dictators, his actions leaving wounds Argentina still feels. Human rights folks celebrate his trials as a win for justice, though many mysteries about "the disappeared" linger on.