Ernesto Alaís

Ernesto Alaís served in the Argentine Army since 1959 and was promoted to General by President Alfonsin however, in 1987 he was engaged in one of the most bizarre military events. Following the ”Easter uprising” by Lieutenant Colonel Aldo Rico, Alaís and his Second Army Corps were ordered to attack Campo de Mayo, north of Buenos Aires where Aldo Rico was staging his uprising. Alaís and his army of tanks set off from Rosario but, despite constant insistence that “he was nearly there” he never arrived.

Alaís’s failure to obey orders resulted in him, along with 14 other Generals being removed from their posts by the President. Crimes against humanity were brought against Alaís and whilst he was detained in prison for a short while, was eventually moved to hospital because of his failing health and he never stood trial. A competitor at the 1984 Olympics he was head of the Argentina team at the 1992 Barcelona Games.