Argentine Defense Chief Dies While Swimming
Defense Minister Roque Carranza died of a heart attack Saturday night in his swimming pool, officials said. He was 65.
A close associate of President Raul Alfonsin, Carranza took over the defense portfolio last May when his predecessor, Raul Borras, died of cancer.
As defense minister, Carranza steered Argentina’s military through the last stages of the trial of nine ex-junta members for the abduction, torture and presumed murder of an estimated 9,000 people under military rule from 1976 to 1983.
Carranza was buried Sunday after his body lay in state at army headquarters and in Congress.
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