Word: piedrahita
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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Romantic Movement. By missing Vice Admiral Ruben Piedrahita, the fifth man in the junta, the rebels made the fatal mistake in their comedy-of-errors revolt. A little after 3 a.m., Piedrahita got a phone call from Public Works Minister Roberto Salazar, a neighbor of kidnaped General Fonseca. "There's a plot against the government," gasped Salazar. "They've taken the generals and are coming for you. You must be dressed when I come by your house." Piedrahita scrambled into his uniform and climbed down the fire escape of his apartment building as Salazar drove...
Together in the palace, Lleras and Piedrahita took stock. By telephone, Forero proclaimed his insurrection "a romantic movement to restore the honor of the armed forces." Apparently he hoped to bargain for postponement of the election and formation of a new junta. Rumors racing through town that Rojas Pinilla was coming back took on added weight from the fact that the exiled military dictator last week left Lisbon, flew to Bermuda, bought a ticket for Barbados. But the armed forces stuck solidly behind the junta. Piedrahita was still free to take charge, and that was enough...
...barracks. Forero, disheartened by the failure of other armed forces to support him, surrendered his hostages in return for safe conduct to asylum in the Salvadoran embassy. By midday the city and country were firmly back in the junta's hands. And this week's election, broadcast Piedrahita for the junta, will be guaranteed "even if it costs us our lives...