Jorge Rafael Videla

General Jorge Rafael Videla ( vid-EL-ə; Spanish: [ˈxoɾxe rafaˈel βiˈðela]; 2 August 1925 – 17 May 2013) was an Argentine general, politician and dictator who served as the president of Argentina from 1976 to 1981 during the National Reorganization Process.

He came to power in a March 1976 coup d'état that deposed Isabel Perón. His rule, which occurred during the Dirty War (1974–1983), was among the most infamous in Latin America during the Cold War due to widespread human rights abuses including murder, abduction, torture of activists and political opponents along with their families at secret concentration camps. In addition, the children of female prisoners were systematically kidnapped. An estimated 13,000 to 30,000 political dissidents were killed or disappeared during this period. Videla relinquished power to Roberto Viola in March 1981.

In 1985, two years after the return of a representative democratic government, he was prosecuted in the Trial of the Juntas and convicted for large-scale human rights abuses and crimes against humanity during his rule. He was released in 1990, following a pardon from President Carlos Menem.

Videla was arrested again in 1998 after he was found guilty of the kidnapping of children. He remained under house arrest until 10 October 2008, when he was sent to a military prison. On 5 July 2010, Videla took full responsibility for his army's actions during his rule. Following a new trial, on 22 December 2010, Videla was sentenced to life in a civilian prison for the deaths of 31 prisoners following his coup. On 5 July 2012, Videla was sentenced to 50 years in civilian prison for the systematic kidnapping of children during his tenure. The following year, Videla died in the Marcos Paz civilian prison five days after suffering a fall in a shower.