As some of you know, I lived in Argentina for a year and a half, 1972-73. It was one of those life changing experiences. My father was transferred to Argentina in the middle of my sophomore year in high school. I attended the American high school, Associaciones Escuelas Lincoln (ok, I just like saying it), in suburban Buenos Aires.

In February of 1972, Argentina was ruled by a military junta headed by an army general. There were still bullet holes in the Casa Rosada (the presidential office building) from the coup that overthrew Juan Peron. While there were laws on the books, they were not enforced or selectively enforced. Bribery was the usual way to get a government service. I spoke about my experience in Argentina when I was campaigning because it gave me a temendous appreciation for the rule of law and the stability of the American government.

Inflation was raging in Argentina but the economy wasn’t that great in the States either. Goods were incredibly cheap by American standards. In the beginning of my stay, it seemed quiet and stable.

Things started to change when the military junta decided to hold elections in Argentina and in neighboring Chile, Pinochet overthrew the elected president, Allende. The news media reported that the CIA was involved in the coup. Pinochet rounded up Allende supporters and other perceived enemies and those not caught fled to Argentina and other South American countries. Leftist groups in Argentina started kidnapping American businessmen (women were not executives way back then) and demanding ransoms in the millions. Some American companies had a no ransom policy and some did not. I went to school with the kidnapped victims’ children. We had guards and guard dogs at the school. We had guards at home and guards drove my father to work. People followed him to work and we weren’t sure who they were.

The junta prohibited Juan Peron from returning to Argentina and running for president. Then they started killing American businessmen instead of asking for ransom. One of my father’s colleagues in the northwestern part of the country was ambushed on the way to work. They riddled the two cars carrying him and his guards with machine guns. Of course, everyone was killed. Elections were held, the 26 parties ran candidates and the Peronista candidate won. Three months later he resigned so they could run an election and allow Juan Peron to return and run. We were told to stay indoors the day Juan Peron returned to Argentina. I watched his return on television.

My parents sent me back to the States for my senior year. It turned out to be a good decision because my father escaped a kidnap attempt and my parents, along with all other Ford employees who were American, were taken out of Argentina quickly by charter plane later that Fall of 1973. Ford decided to stop paying ever increasing ransoms and risk their executives lives. Ford tried to cut their losses but like other American companies, had tremendous investments in Argentina.

I came home to the Watergate hearings televised every day. I was so relieved and thankful to be in a country in which government functioned, constitutional rights and the laws were enforced. U.S. citizens were not afraid of their government. The illegal actvities of the Nixon Administration were being investigated by Congress. I am posting this because of the unintended consequences of the CIA-helped Pinochet coup. Pinochet and his cronies killed thousands of people. Thousands of people were tortured. Thousands of family members grieved. People just disappeared. Citizens had no recourse. The same thing happened in Argentina a few years later. Incredible suffering for thousands of people. And yet, Pinochet and the military leaders in Argentina were never brought to justice. Supposedly, the CIA was acting in our country’s best interest. But that’s not how it worked. American companies lost millions on their investments in South America because of the anti-American sentiment and hostile actions during the 70′s.

I think it is vitally important that world leaders be brought to justice when they commit atrocities. Dictators commit atrocities because they believe they will not be punished. History teaches them this. We have to enforce the rule of law to finally stop the killing, torture, abuse and the suffering and grieving. I firmly believe this applies to all government officials. No one should be above the law. In the end, it’s all we have to protect us.