A military junta was installed to replace her; this was headed by Lieutenant General Jorge Rafael Videla, Admiral Emilio Eduardo Massera and Brigadier-General[5] Orlando Ramón Agosti.

Henry Kissinger met several times with Argentine Armed Forces leaders after the coup, urging them to destroy their opponents quickly before outcry over human rights abuses grew in the United States.

In October the country was divided into five military zones, with each commander given full autonomy to unleash a carefully planned wave of repression.

On 18 December, a number of warplanes took off from Morón Air Base and strafed the Casa Rosada in an attempt to overthrow Isabel Perón.

Fautario drew harsh criticism from the Army and Navy owing to his vehement opposition to their repressive plans, and for his refusal to mobilize the Air Force against the guerrillas' strongholds in the north.

[3][13][14] According to political scientist Scott Mainwaring, the years prior to the coup were characterized by public perceptions of chaos and power vacuum.

Regular transmissions were cut and replaced by a military march, after which the first communiqué was broadcast: [...] People are advised that as of today, the country is under the operational control of the General Commanders Junta of the Armed Forces .

We recommend to all inhabitants strict compliance with the provisions and directives emanating from the military, security or police authorities, and to be extremely careful to avoid individual or group actions and attitudes that may require drastic intervention from the operating personnel.

Signed: General Jorge Rafael Videla, Admiral Emilio Eduardo Massera and Brigadier Orlando Ramón Agosti.A state of siege and martial law were implemented, as military patrolling spread to every major city.

Congress was disbanded with senators, deputies and staff members being arrested, brutally beaten and thrown out of doors and windows of the Congressional Palace.

[23] Human rights activists state that in the aftermath of the coup and ensuing Dirty War, some 30,000 people, primarily young opponents of the military regime, were "disappeared" or killed.

[24] Kissinger privately assured the military regime that they would have the full support of the United States government in their war and associated actions, a promise that was opposed by the U.S.

[29] The American government paid close attention to any changes in regime in Latin America, and had been carefully watching Argentina throughout Peron's presidency.

[20] Another worry with a possible regime change was the protection of U.S. interests, those being economic investments in Argentina, from Ford and General Motors to Exxon industrial centers, but those in the U.S. State Department were not worried about major fundamental changes, citing that left wing groups did not have enough support for a coup and the military was not interested in making sweeping reforms.