timeline
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events for 1981
| Jan 6, 1981 | Ban on Jehovah’s Witness’ activity lifted, in effect since August 31st, 1976. |
| Feb 17, 1981 | Menem released for second time. |
| Feb 27, 1981 | On this day and the following, eight human rights workers, including CELS head Emilio Mignone, are arrested in Buenos Aires. |
| Mar 6, 1981 | Judge Anzoátegui permits the release of recently arrested human rights activists detained at his orders. |
| Mar 12, 1981 | Police break up demonstration by the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo in the Plaza, arresting a reported 68. |
| Mar 29, 1981 | Viola sworn in as president and Lorenzo Sigaut becomes minister of economy, replacing Martínez de Hoz. |
| Apr 1, 1981 | Human rights groups announce the “disappearance” of Angel Antonio Romano. April 3rd, the government announced that he is in their custody on charges of robbery. |
| Apr 1, 1981 | La Nación reports national debt stands at 27.2 billion dollars, or $1,000 per Argentine. |
| Apr 23, 1981 | Several journalists, including foreigners and 2 Herald reporters, detained as they attempt to report on the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo demonstration. |
| Apr 30, 1981 | Between 1500 and 2000 mothers demonstrate in the Plaza de Mayo accompanied by Liesbeth Den Uyl, wife of a former Dutch prime minister. The Argentine press turns out in strength to cover the demonstration for the first time. |
| May 5, 1981 | US singer Joan Baéz arrives in Argentina to learn about human rights issues, invited by Pérez Esquivel. She is harassed constantly by apparent security forces, and at one point forced to leave her hotel by management. |
| May 12, 1981 | New York Times Book Review features Timerman’s book Prisoner without a name, cell without a number. |
| May 22, 1981 | Various people revealed to be members of the Propoganda-2 Masonic Lodge including retired admiral Massera, López Rega, Alberto Lastiri and Guillermo Suárez Mason. |
| May 28, 1981 | Police break up Plaza de Mayo demonstration, arresting a reported 14 including 5 members of Pérez Esquivel’s organization. |
| Jun 6, 1981 | Herald column “The Law,” written by Horacio Méndez Carreras and Martín San Millán, becomes the first to suggest a connection between Elena Holmberg’s work at the Navy intelligence center in Paris and her abduction and murder. |
| Jun 16, 1981 | Information Secretariat tells state news agency Telam to cease publishing official advertisements in La Prensa, removing an important revenue source for the paper which was accused of having criticized the government. |
| Jun 17, 1981 | A Mechanic’s Union (SMATA)-organized strike brings a big police response, with over 1,000 arrested. |
| Jun 22, 1981 | La Prensa columnist Manfred Schönfeld attacked and savagely beaten, shortly after the Public Information Secretariat had recommended “other actions” be taken against the columnist. |
| Jun 26, 1981 | It is announced that the dollar has risen 49.2% in value relative to the peso in a week. |
| Jul 17, 1981 | Painter Miguel Sarángelo abducted by a group of men who throw the sculptures and paintings in his studio onto the floor after taking him. On July 22, he is revealed to be in government custody. |
| Aug 2, 1981 | Frank Sinatra arrives in Argentina. |
| Aug 20, 1981 | Retired admiral Emilio Massera officially launches his political group, the Movement for Change. |
| Aug 25, 1981 | Government begins second round of “dialogue” with some civilian leaders. |
| Sep 9, 1981 | Ricardo Balbín, long-time Radical politician, dies. |
| Sep 16, 1981 | Man charged with disrespecting the flag after he failed to leave his automobile during a flagraising, in accordance with his doctor’s orders to remain out of the cold. |
| Oct 18, 1981 | La Prensa publishes paid ad funded by relatives of missing people listing 1,878 confirmed missing people. |
| Oct 22, 1981 | Two press photographers beaten by police when they attempted to photograph police repression of a student demonstration. The police chief, responding to criticism, replies “these things always happen.” |
| Oct 26, 1981 | La Nación begins publishing a series of letters from Argentine journalists against Timerman. The following day La Prensa talks of it’s “stupor” over Timerman’s award. |
| Oct 27, 1981 | Jacobo Timerman is awarded the Mary Moors Cabot prize for journalism at Columbia University. The announcement of the award has sparked a series of attacks in the mainstream Argentine press. |
| Nov 4, 1981 | The study of politics banned from the University of Buenos Aires by the executive branch. |
| Nov 14, 1981 | Thousands march in Paris to protest the “disappearance” of artists in Argentina. |
| Nov 21, 1981 | Interior Minister General Horacio Liendo becomes interim president due to president Viola’s reported heart trouble. |
| Nov 28, 1981 | Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger speaks in Buenos Aires, focusing on his nervousness over Argentine trade links with the USSR and dodging a question on human rights. |
| Dec 2, 1981 | Communist Party headquarters in Buenos Aires raided. At least 52 arrested and held for several days. |
| Dec 5, 1981 | Laura Scipioni, Communist Party member arrested on December 2, says she was tortured and dangled from an upper window of the federal security headquarters. |
| Dec 11, 1981 | General Viola removed from the presidency, supposedly due to health reasons but really due to a loss of support among the junta. Vice admiral Lacoste takes over the presidency until Galtieri is appointed president on December 22. |
| Dec 17, 1981 | Supreme Court revokes military court’s sentence of the “Graiver Group,” saying the military court was not fit to rule on the issue. |
| Dec 22, 1981 | General Galtieri sworn in as president. Galtieri designates Roberto Alemann as economy minister. |