The Enemies List

The reign of terror that has plagued Argentina since the death of President Juan Peron on July 1 continued unabated last week. Political violence claimed its 100th victim in three months when Army Captain Miguel Paiva was gunned down last Wednesday as he waited at a bus stop near his home in Buenos Aires. His murder brought to eight the number of military killed or wounded since a left-wing terrorist group vowed last month to assassinate sixteen officers to avenge the deaths of sixteen guerrillas (TIME, Sept. 30). In addition, a terrorist's bomb killed Chile's exiled former army commander, General Carlos Prats, who had been a supporter of the late Marxist President Salvador Allende.

At the funeral of another officer, Argentina's army commander, Lieut. General Leandro Anaya, promised to wage battle with the terrorists "until we have achieved the total extermination of the enemies of the fatherland." While threatening to wipe out the guerrillas, Anaya was careful to stress that the army will do so in support of President Isabel Perdon's constitutional government and not by overthrowing it.

Five Down. General Anaya's impassioned denunciation was primarily aimed at left-wing subversives. But in fact, most of last week's killings were carried out by a hitherto obscure right-wing group, the Argentine Anti-Communist Alliance. The A.A.A. recently surfaced as a major terrorist force. Three weeks ago, a letter was sent to Buenos Aires newspapers containing a list of 17 prominent Argentines. Beside five of the names were tiny crosses; those five had already been executed. The remaining twelve, including former President Hector Campora, ex-Deputy Leonardo Bettanin and former Education Minister Jorge Taiana, were A.A.A. targets. "Now five are down, and the leftists will keep falling no matter where they are," said the clumsily worded communique. Among those since slain by the A.A.A. was Silvio Frondizi, brother of former President Arturo Frondizi. A lawyer well known for serving as defense counsel to several alleged left-wing guerrillas, Frondizi was dragged from his home by the hair and shot in the back --"the way traitors are shot," his executioners explained. His son-in-law was also killed as he attempted to stop the brutal kidnaping.

Since the first communique, the A.A.A. has reportedly expanded its enemies' list to include a former Roman Catholic bishop, an army general, a union leader, several politicians, lawyers, entertainers, university professors and journalists. The threats have already caused a mini-diaspora. University Rectors Rodolfo Puiggros and Raul Laguzzi have taken asylum in Mexico. Folk Singer Horacio Guarany fled to Venezuela last week. Actress Nacha Guevara left for Peru as did Comedian Norman Briski. Although it has not been directly linked to the A.A.A., the murder of General Prats has put Argentina's large community of political exiles on notice that the country is no longer a safe refuge.

President Isabel Peron responded to the latest outburst of violence by rushing a stiff new antisubversion law through Congress. The measure provides mandatory jail sentences for those who attempt to alter unconstitutionally "the political, economic and social life of the country." It also restricts press coverage of terrorism, banning publication of news that might seem to advertise or justify subversive activity. Uncertain of the implications of the new law, one Buenos Aires newspaper reported the murder of Captain Paiva by simply running his picture over a cryptic caption noting that he "ceased to exist all of a sudden this morning at 7:20."

Despite the chaos, Mrs. Peron remained firmly in control of her government. Concludes TIME Correspondent Rudolph Rauch: "In another country, in the Argentina of another era, there would have been a coup by now. That there has not been one is an extraordinary demonstration of the desire of most Argentines to establish a tradition of constitutional rule in this country."

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