Trump State Department official Freddie Klein's alleged role in the Capitol insurrection isn't the first time he's shown pro-coup tendencies.
Klein repeatedly praised the Argentine military junta.
Turns out his uncle was a senior junta official.
vice.com/en/article/m7a…
Klein repeatedly praised the Argentine military junta.
Turns out his uncle was a senior junta official.
vice.com/en/article/m7a…
Three former State Dept. colleagues told me that Klein defended the Argentine dictatorship, which killed ~30K of its own citizens in the Dirty War.
"The views expressed were very sympathetic to a notorious human rights-abusing regime that came to power in a coup," one told me.
"The views expressed were very sympathetic to a notorious human rights-abusing regime that came to power in a coup," one told me.
Klein's uncle, Guillermo Walter Klein Jr., was a powerful figure in that junta, the right-hand man to the regime's top economic official.
He was prominent enough that leftist guerrillas tried to assassinate him, blowing up his home in 1979. It made international news.
He was prominent enough that leftist guerrillas tried to assassinate him, blowing up his home in 1979. It made international news.
Former Buenos Aires Herald Editor Bob Cox knew Freddie's dad and uncle well, and said they were both pro-junta. He wasn't surprised by Freddie's alleged actions.
“There is a connection of the belief that you use military force, if you can. That ran in the family."
“There is a connection of the belief that you use military force, if you can. That ran in the family."
Video shows a man alleged to be Freddie Klein was among the first wave of rioters to attack the Capitol.
He mounted a half-hour assault on Capitol Police, rallying others to attack with a call of "we need fresh people" while using a police shield to repeatedly attack officers.
He mounted a half-hour assault on Capitol Police, rallying others to attack with a call of "we need fresh people" while using a police shield to repeatedly attack officers.
Freddie's mom Cecilia said she'd never heard him express pro-junta views, but:
"What he was probably explaining to his friends in the office of the Southern Cone was that there was context to the military takeover," she said. "Bodies were piling up, the economy was in the tank."
"What he was probably explaining to his friends in the office of the Southern Cone was that there was context to the military takeover," she said. "Bodies were piling up, the economy was in the tank."
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