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.
Buerote Massacre
On 21 September 1985, a group of four police officers; Cristóbal René Peña, Ramón Adolfo Sosa, Matías Horacio Marín and Álvaro Jorge Dalí responded to what was believed to be a call of domestic violence originating from the Buerote neighborhood of Tamapaéra. However, unbeknownst to the officers, a gang of six men whom were members of the Los Escorpiones de Buerote (English: The Scorpions) street gang placed a hoax emergency call to lure first responders to an ambush. As the officers entered onto Pasrate road, they were met with a barrage of heavy gunfire; later found to be from high-caliber weapons. Only two officers, Peña and Sosa mananged to exit their vehicles and return fire though only being armed with revolver style service weapons, were quickly overpowered and killed. All four officers were killed by multiple gunshot wounds and all six gunmen escaped in a getaway vehicle driven by a seventh perpetrator.
Following the massacre, the Fernández administration used it as means to declare a state of emergency and activate elements of the National Army to institute a crackdown on the revolution and assist law enforcement in finding the suspects responsible. On 28 September, security forces traced the perpetrators to a home on El Tetal avenue in Buerote and launched a raid on the address. The use of the armed forces in what was thought to be a civilian law enforcement matter incited controversy. During the operation all six gunmen were killed and the person found to be the getaway vehicle driver; 22-year old Hernán Yoel Arias was arrested. In July 1986, Arias was sentenced to death by judge Osvaldo Fulgencio Elizondo in a controversial ruling; his sentence was reduced to 15 years imprisonment in 1994 and Arias was released on 28 August 2001 with credit for time served under his death penalty.