- Title: ARGENTINA: FUNERAL OF MURDERED FORMER BOLIVIAN PRESIDENT TORRES DELAYED.
- Date: 6th June 1976
- Summary: 1. GV ambulance arrives and drives into building with coffin 0.34 2. CU armed policemen guarding building 0.43 3. SV, CU INTERIOR with body of General Torres in coffin. 1.10 Initials RH/1950 RH/JB/AW/1958 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 21st June 1976 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
- Country: Argentina
- Reuters ID: LVA57E2CUVFU0UM9JQD24F94GLQY
- Story Text: The funeral in Bolivia of the former President, Juan Jose Torres, has been delayed after an air force plane sent to collect his body from Argentina returned on Sunday (6 June) to La Paz empty.
General Torres, who has been living in Argentina since he was ousted from power in 1971, was Kidnapped on 1 Juno. His body was found two days later, 95 kilometres (60 miles) from the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires. He had been shot three times in the head and a right-wing 'death squad' was thought to be responsible.
The General seized power in Bolivia in a coup in October 1970, but he faced constant right-wing opposition. He was overthrown by the present Bolivian President, Hugo Banzer, 10 months later in a counter-coup and bloody three-day civil war.
General Banzer was thought to have been a close friend of the murdered general despite their ideological differences. Bolivia's military government has denounced the killing as a "most reprehensible crime" and declared national mourning for the former President.
A Bolivian air force plane was put at the disposal of the general's widow and his family said that the body would be flown home. But Reuters reported that the aircraft was empty when it left Buenos Aires on Sunday (6 June).
On 21 May the bodies of two former Uruguayan politicians were found bullet-riddled and handcuffed in Buenos Aires. At least 305 people have been killed in politically motivated violence in Argentina since the country's military coup on 24 March.
SYNOPSIS: Former Bolivian President, Juan Jose Torres, was found murdered in Argentina on thursday, two days after he had been kidnapped. He had been shot three times in the head and a right-wing death squad was thought to be responsible. General Torres had been living in Argentina since he was ousted from power in 1971 by the present Bolivian President, Hugo Banzer. He was accused of plotting against the Banzer administration when strikes swept Bolivia in 1973.
But General Banzer was thought to be a close friend of the murdered former President despite their ideological differences.
Bolivia's military government denounced the killing and declared national mourning for General Torres. An air force plane was put at the disposal of his widow, and the family said the body would be flown home. But Reuters reported the aircraft was empty when it left Buenos Aires on Sunday. At least 305 people have died in politically-motivated violence in Argentina during the last two months.
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