Martín Balza
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General Martín Antonio Balza (13 June 1934 Salto, Buenos Aires
) is an Argentine
military former Chief of Staff of the Argentine Army
. He is currently Argentine ambassador to the Republic of Colombia
.
A man of strong democratic convictions, had stood up for the legitimate government in every attempted coup d'état throughout his senior career. He also gave the first institutional self-criticism about the Armed Forces' involvement in the 1976 coup and the ensuing reign of terror
.
officer specialised in mountain warfare
.
In 1982, with the rank of Lt Colonel he participated in the Falklands War
as commander of the 3rd Artillery Group. He was awarded the Argentine Army to the Military Merit Medal for his conduct during this campaign.
In 1991 he became Chief of Staff of the Argentine Army
during the presidencies of Carlos Menem
and Fernando De la Rua
.
In 2003 he caused a stir as he declared his conviction that in 1978 Chile would have won the war during the Beagle conflict
.
Salto, Buenos Aires
Salto is a city in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. It is the head town of the Salto Partido. It is about 200 km from Buenos Aires and 55 km from Pergamino. Salto is an agricultural community, crossed by a river, that it has some of the best fields of the province. Its main crops are soybean,...
) is an Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
military former Chief of Staff of the Argentine Army
Argentine Army
The Argentine Army is the land armed force branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic and the senior military service of the country.- History :...
. He is currently Argentine ambassador to the Republic of Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
.
A man of strong democratic convictions, had stood up for the legitimate government in every attempted coup d'état throughout his senior career. He also gave the first institutional self-criticism about the Armed Forces' involvement in the 1976 coup and the ensuing reign of terror
Dirty War
The Dirty War was a period of state-sponsored violence in Argentina from 1976 until 1983. Victims of the violence included several thousand left-wing activists, including trade unionists, students, journalists, Marxists, Peronist guerrillas and alleged sympathizers, either proved or suspected...
.
Career
He is an artilleryArtillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
officer specialised in mountain warfare
Mountain warfare
Mountain warfare refers to warfare in the mountains or similarly rough terrain. This type of warfare is also called Alpine warfare, named after the Alps mountains...
.
In 1982, with the rank of Lt Colonel he participated in the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
as commander of the 3rd Artillery Group. He was awarded the Argentine Army to the Military Merit Medal for his conduct during this campaign.
In 1991 he became Chief of Staff of the Argentine Army
Argentine Army
The Argentine Army is the land armed force branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic and the senior military service of the country.- History :...
during the presidencies of Carlos Menem
Carlos Menem
Carlos Saúl Menem is an Argentine politician who was President of Argentina from 1989 to 1999. He is currently an Argentine National Senator for La Rioja Province.-Early life:...
and Fernando De la Rua
Fernando de la Rúa
Fernando de la Rúa is an Argentine politician. He was president of the country from December 10, 1999 to December 21, 2001 for the Alliance for Work, Justice and Education ....
.
In 2003 he caused a stir as he declared his conviction that in 1978 Chile would have won the war during the Beagle conflict
Beagle conflict
The Beagle Conflict was a border dispute between Chile and Argentina over the possession of Picton, Lennox and Nueva islands and the scope of the maritime jurisdiction associated with those islands that brought the countries to the brink of war in 1978....
.
Decorations and badges
- Legion of Honor
- Argentine Army to the Military Merit Medal
- United Nations MedalUnited Nations MedalThe term United Nations Medal refers to one of several international decorations which are issued by the United Nations to the various militaries of the world for participation in joint international military and police operations such as peacekeeping, humanitarian efforts, and disaster relief...
- Legion of MeritLegion of MeritThe Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
Degree of Commander (1994)