René Emilio Ponce

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René Emilio Ponce (* 1947 in Sensuntepeque , Cabañas Department ; † May 2, 2011 in San Salvador ) was Minister of Defense of El Salvador from August 1990 to July 1993 .

biography

Tanda

In 1963 Ponce began his studies at the Escuela Militar Capitán General Gerardo Barrios , which he graduated on November 11, 1966 as the best of the class ( Tandona ) as an artillery officer despite his impaired left hand . He then became a military attaché in Mexico . In Taiwan , Ponce completed an anti-insurgency course .

Death squad

Between 1980 and 1983, Ponce organized the Maximiliano Hernandez Martinez death squad together with Colonel Mayor Mario Denis Moran Echeverria, head of Sección Inteligencia of the Gurardia Nacional .

Policía de Hacienda

In 1981, Ponce was deputy head of the Policía de Hacienda (financial police). According to Amnesty International, 30 non-combatants were murdered under his leadership, and in 1981 his men disappeared at least five people in San Salvador . During his 1982 election campaign, Ponce was responsible for the personal protection of Roberto D'Aubuisson Arrieta , who had commissioned the murder of San Salvador's Archbishop Óscar Romero in 1980.

3ª Brigada in San Miguel

In 1988 he was in command of the 3ª Brigada in San Miguel , which has been held responsible for numerous civilian disappearances.

Massacre in the UCA

On November 9, 1988, Ponce became Chief of the FAES General Staff .

In 1989 Ponce gave the order to murder the Jesuit fathers of the Universidad Centroamericana “José Simeón Cañas” (UCA) and any witnesses present. On November 16, 1989, the six Jesuits Ignacio Ellacuría , Ignacio Martín-Baró , Segundo Montes , Amando López , Juan Ramón Moreno , Joaquín López y López , their housekeeper Elba Julia Ramos and their daughter Celina were murdered.

Asociación de Veteranos Militares

On September 7, 2008, Ponce was president of the Asociación de Veteranos Militares (ASVEM) and protested that the opposition party FMLN had announced in its election manifesto that it would repeal the 1992 amnesty law.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/salvadoran-army-general-accused-of-ordering-killings-of-jesuit-priests-dies-at-64/2011/05/02/AF30ymaF_story.html
  2. ↑ El País 03/16/1993 La promoción de La Tandona
  3. ↑ The Scars of War . In: Die Zeit , March 19, 1993.
  4. ↑ El Salvador . Human Rights Watch website . Retrieved January 25, 2011.
  5. ↑ El Diario de Hoy 7 de Septiembre de 2008 Criticaron que busque abolir el Ejército y abrir juicios por crímenes de guerra. Piden al partido rojo abrazar la reconciliación ( Memento of September 11, 2008 in the Internet Archive )
personal data
SURNAME Ponce, René Emilio
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Salvadoran military, Minister of Defense in El Salvador
DATE OF BIRTH 1947
PLACE OF BIRTH Sensuntepeque
DATE OF DEATH May 2, 2011
Place of death San Salvador