Raúl Alberto Lastiri

Raúl Alberto Lastiri (September 11, 1915 – December 11, 1978) was an Argentine politician who was interim president of Argentina from July 13, 1973 until October 12, 1973. Lastiri, who presided over the Argentine Chamber of Deputies, was promoted to the presidency of the country after Héctor Cámpora and Vicente Solano Lima resigned, he organized new elections and delivered the country's government to Juan Perón, who won with over 60% of the votes.

Biography

Rise to power

His brief tenure marked a turn towards right-wing policies and factions within the Peronist Party. His father-in-law, José López Rega, a P2 member and the creator of the paramilitary organization Triple A, was confirmed as Minister of Social Welfare. Alberto Juan Vignes replaced Puig in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Benito Llambí took over from Esteban Righi as Minister of Interior. In spite of this, Argentine foreign policy kept a Third World orientation; for example, in August 1973, Argentina granted Cuba a 200 million US$ loan to buy machinery and cars.

José Ber Gelbard, also confirmed as Economy Minister, continued with his previous policy, nationalizing bank deposits and announcing a "Triennial Plan" for development.

Anti-government violence experienced sustained growth in the last days of his presidency. On September 25 a Montoneros commando allegedly killed José Ignacio Rucci, Secretary-General of the CGT National trade union center and Perón's good friend. The same month, the Ejército Revolucionario del Pueblo (ERP) had assaulted the Army medical unit located at Parque Patricios, a neighborhood of Buenos Aires, killing an officer. This action served to justify the ERP illegalization and the closedown of the newspaper El Mundo.

Propaganda Due

Lastiri was on Licio Gelli's list of P2 members, a masonic lodge involved in Italy's strategy of tension, discovered in 1980.