Aldo Rico
An Argentine military rebel turned political figure who led uprisings that shook the nation's fragile post-dictatorship democracy.
Born 1943 (age 83)·Argentine lieutenant colonel and politician·Birthday: March 4·The Silent Generation
Biography
Aldo Rico emerged from the shadows of Argentina's Dirty War to become a central, polarizing figure in its turbulent transition to democracy. As a lieutenant colonel, he was a key leader of the 'carapintadas'—the painted faces—a faction of the army that staged several rebellions in the late 1980s. These revolts protested the prosecution of officers for human rights abuses and challenged the authority of President Raúl Alfonsín. Rico's defiance, culminating in his dramatic surrender at Monte Caseros army barracks in 1988, became a symbol of the military's unresolved tensions. In a surprising pivot, he later channeled his nationalist, law-and-order platform into politics, founding the MODIN party. He won election as mayor of San Miguel and briefly served as a provincial police minister, attempting to translate his military notoriety into a civilian career, forever linking his name to a volatile chapter in Argentina's history.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Aldo was born in 1943, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Aldo Was Born
The biggest hits of 1943
#1 Movie
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Best Picture
Casablanca
Aldo's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1943Born
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1948Started school
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1956Became a teenager
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1959Could drive
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1961Could vote
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1964Turned 21
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1973Turned 30
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 40
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 50
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 60
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 70
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 80
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 83 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Led the 'Semana Santa' (Holy Week) military rebellion in April 1987 against the Alfonsín government.
- Founded the nationalist political party MODIN (Movement for Dignity and Independence) in 1991.
- Served as the elected Mayor of San Miguel, a district in Greater Buenos Aires, from 1997 to 2003.
- Appointed Minister of Police of Buenos Aires Province in 1999 under Governor Eduardo Duhalde.
Did You Know?
The nickname 'carapintada' (painted face) came from the camouflage paint the rebel soldiers wore during their uprisings.
He was a veteran of the Falklands War (Guerra de las Malvinas), serving during the conflict.
After his political career, he largely retreated from public life, giving few interviews.
“The country needs order, and the armed forces are the ultimate guarantor of its constitution.”
