21-O Revolution
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| 21-O Revolution | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Belligerents | |||||
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Anti-government protestors After October 1985: |
Until October 1985: | ||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||
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No centralized leadership After October 1985:  Francisco Silva Artemio Íñigo Guzmán (AWOL) |
Martín Fernández (POW) Óscar Israel Peña Gutierre Virgilio Benítez | ||||
| Strength | |||||
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Unknown; estimates are between 200,000 to 500,000. After October 1985: 100,000 soldiers (joined anti-government protestors) |
5,000-25,000 police (depending on day of protest) Until October 1985: 50,000-200,000 soldiers | ||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||
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Died: 110-200 Wounded: 5,420 Missing: 15 (Never found; presumed kidnapped and murdered by security forces) |
Died: 4 police officers (1985) 3 Presidental Guardsmen (1985) Wounded: 605 security forces | ||||
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The O-21 Revolution was a period of political unrest and violence in the Republic of Narsora, characterized by massive protests, strikes, and clashes with the police and military forces. The revolution was sparked by widespread discontent with the perceived increasing authoritarian rule of President Martín Fernández, who had been in power for the previous five years and was accused of corruption, increasingly severe human rights abuses, and economic mismanagement.
Background
Then president Martín Fernández, previously the president of the Narsoran senate was elected in January 10, 1984, in what was regarded as a generally fair election. But early in his term, the country suffered a severe recession; with a roughly 16% unemployment rate in June 1984.
Revolution
In August 1984, a series of protests and strikes erupted across Narsora, led by workers, students and various social organizations, the protesters demanded the resignation of Fernández and the calling of a new election to democratically elect a new government. The demonstrations were met with unusually brutal repression from the police and the Presidential Guard Unit, an elite unit of the national army which used tear gas, batons, and water cannons in an attempt to disperse the protests. Despite this increasingly violent repression, protests continued to grow and eventually spread throughout the country, involving citizens from all sectors of life.
In January 1985, Fernández declared a state of emergency, suspended the constitution, and dissolved the National Congress , thereby giving himself essentially unlimited powers to suppress the rebellion. He ordered the military to patrol the streets, arrest any opposition, and suppress media outlets. The latter culminated in a police raid and closure of the head offices of the newspaper La Ceirada circulated by the left-leaning Federal Democratic Union (Spanish: Unión Democrática Federal). The publication had been among the most vocal critic of Fernández, and had on numerous occasions published political caricatures and cartoons lambasting his increasingly authoritarian measures. This action proved to only further anger the public, who viewed it as proof of Fernández's attempts to consolidate his control of the country.