Background
Alejandro Agustín Lanusse was born in Buenos Aires on 28 August 1918.
Alejandro Agustín Lanusse was born in Buenos Aires on 28 August 1918.
He attended military schools.
His military career showed progress until 1951, when he was involved in an unsuccessful revolt against Juan Perón. Lanusse was jailed, but was released and restored to his rank after the 1955 coup that ousted Perón. He served as commander of the presidential guard from 1955 to 1957, and was promoted to colonel and made assistant director of the war college. In 1962 he was promoted to brigadier general and in 1966 was active in the coup that overthrew President Arturo Umberto Illia, bringing General Juan Carlos Ongania to power. Ongania made Lanusse commander-in-chief of the army in 1968.
In 1969 the Ongania government was startled by the violence that broke out in Cordoba: three days of rioting, students and workers united against the police, with regular army troops called in to restore order. Widespread dissatisfaction with the military regime was all too evident.
In 1970 Lanusse formed a junta with the commanders-in-chief of the navy and air force, and replaced Ongania with General Roberto Levingston as president. But when Levingston made the crucial mistake of trying to remove Lanusse as commander-in-chief, the military rebelled, removed Levingston, and installed Lanusse as president on March 26, 1971.