Monday, Mar. 24, 1952
Peroon's Private Army
El Ciudadano (The Citizen) is published occasionally, without official sanction, by Argentina's opposition Radical Party. Last week El Ciudadano hit Buenos Aires newsstands with a story that sold 40,000 copies to goggle-eyed citizens before police confiscated the rest of the edition. Its gist: Peron has formed a private militia from the ranks of his General Confederation of Labor (C.G.T.), and is preparing to arm it to the teeth.
According to information that the Radicals have been gathering for months, Peron decided last year, about two months before top army officers vetoed his plan to make his wife Vice President, that he needed some sort of militia or storm-trooper organization. The President himself drew up a confidential "Workers' Defense Plan" to "defend the government in the event of military action against it." Five thousand descamisados of "absolute confidence" were enrolled, divided into "shock troop" detachments, "special mission" units and "reserves."
Strategic Zones. The plan, billed as "the best defense of the workers' interests against possible capitalist reaction," listed as "strategic zones" all rail and bus stations, ports, communications centers, power plants, food warehouses, waterworks, public markets, government offices, union headquarters, theaters and stadiums. Said its Article Four: "We do not mean to meet the enemy in open fight but to ... neutralize him by attacking where he is weakest."
The new Peronista militia got its first important workout during last September's abortive military uprising. C.G.T. Boss Jose Espejo shouted the radio alarm. On cue, workers rushed to the presidential palace; in the suburbs drivers jammed their big diesel buses across roads by which troops or tanks might have moved on the capital. After the revolt was snuffed out, "special mission'' groups of workers' militia swung briskly into action, rounding up and arresting suspects, running spot checks for illegal arms.
Lethal Toys. So successful was this first trial run that it was decided to improve the workers' equipment. El Ciudadano published texts of three "very confidential" letters, dated last December, in which the Argentine firm of Ballester Molina contracted to deliver, for $580,000. a consignment of 5,000 automatic pistols and 2,000 carbines to the Eva Peron Social Aid Foundation. El Ciudadano somberly pointed out that such toys were obviously not for Senora Peron's famed Children's Village, nor for her junior soccer tournament.
Eight days later, before a crowd of 20,000 in Buenos Aires' Plaza Constitution, El Ciudadano's Editor Francisco H. Uzal repeated the story. "There can be no doubt that these guns are meant for the C.G.T.!" he shouted. As Uzal walked off the speaker's platform, two federal policemen met him and led him away through the crowd to jail.
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