Gregorio Álvarez

Full Name: Gregorio Conrado Álvarez Armelino also known as El Goyo
Profession: General and Dictator

Nationality:

Biography: Gregorio Álvarez was a Uruguayan military officer who served as the President of Uruguay from 1981 to 1985, a period marked by widespread human rights abuses and suppression of political freedom.

Álvarez joined the military early in his life and rose through the ranks, eventually becoming a significant figure within the Uruguayan army. His military career was marked by his involvement in the 1973 coup d'état that led to the establishment of a civic-military dictatorship in Uruguay, which lasted until 1985.

Álvarez's tenure as President of Uruguay was characterized by authoritarian rule. The government under his leadership was responsible for severe human rights violations, including torture, forced disappearances, and the suppression of political opposition. His regime was part of Operation Condor, a United States-backed campaign of political repression and state terror involving South American governments.

The military regime in Uruguay, under Álvarez and his predecessors, was marked by the suppression of civil liberties, censorship of the press, and the outlawing of political parties. The dictatorship's harsh tactics were aimed at eradicating leftist guerrillas and political dissidents, leading to numerous human rights violations that were later condemned internationally.

Following the return to democracy in 1985, Álvarez's actions during the dictatorship came under scrutiny. In 2007, he was arrested and charged with human rights abuses, specifically the illegal detention and murder of political dissidents during the period of military rule. In 2009, he was convicted and sentenced to 25 years in prison for his role in the forced disappearance of 37 people and the murder of another individual during his time in power. He died in prison in 2016 at the age of 91.

Born: November 26, 1925
Birthplace: Montevideo, Uruguay

Generation: Greatest Generation
Chinese Zodiac: Ox
Star Sign: Sagittarius

Died: December 28, 2016 (aged 91)
Cause of Death: Died in prison of unknown causes