César Mendoza

The original members of the Government Junta. From right to left: Air Force General Gustavo Leigh, Army General Augusto Pinochet, Navy Admiral José Toribio Merino, and Police General César Mendoza.
César Mendoza
Medal record
Representing  Chile
Equestrian
Olympic Games
1952 Helsinki Team Jumping
Pan American Games
Buenos Aires 1951 Team Jumping
Chicago 1959 Team Dressage
Chicago 1959 Individual Dressage

General César Leonidas Mendoza Durán (September 11, 1918 September 13, 1996) was a member of the Government Junta which ruled Chile from 1973 to 1990, representing the country-wide police force, the Carabineros de Chile.

Mendoza was born in Santiago, the youngest of the eleven children of Atilio Mendoza Valdebenito, a science teacher and first mayor of La Cisterna, and Amalia Durán, a pianist. In 1938, young César Mendoza began his compulsory military service. In 1940, he matriculated at the Carabineros' School, from which he was graduated as a second lieutenant the following year. Mendoza worked in different cities during his police career, starting in 1942 as a lieutenant at Molina, Talca, and the Carabineros' School. He was promoted to captain in 1953, to major in 1959, to lieutenant colonel in 1965, to colonel in 1968, to general in 1970, and to inspector general of the carabineros in 1972. In this position, he eventually formed part of the Government Junta that came into power following the 1973 coup d'état. Of the four members of the Junta (who represented the Chilean Army, Air Force, Navy and Carabineros or National Police), Mendoza was widely considered the one who held the least amount of power and influence, even being derisively referred to as Mendocita.

Mendoza served in the Government Junta until August 2, 1985, where the public outcry from Caso Degollados led to his forced resignation. He was replaced by Rodolfo Stange Oelckers.

A noted horseman, Mendoza won a silver medal in the XV Olympiade of 1952 at Helsinki as a member of the show jumping team.[1]

References

Political offices
Preceded by
None
Member of Government Junta
1973-1985
Succeeded by
Rodolfo Stange
Police appointments
Preceded by
José María Sepúlveda
General Director of Carabineros
1973-1985
Succeeded by
Rodolfo Stange


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