Nilo FLOODY BUXTON

Nilo Floody was a top Chilean fencer who was national épée champion in 1949 and 1953. He competed in modern pentathlon at three Olympics, the Pan American Games of 1951 and 1955, and was the 1947 South American Champion in modern pentathlon. But he is best known for his military and political career.

Floody studied at the Military Academy of Bernardo O’Higgins, beginning in 1941, and would eventually become the leader of that institution. His training was as a cavalry officer and in 1964 he spent time at Fort Knox in the US, at a course for armored officers. In September 1973 he supported the military coup d’état of Augusto Pinochet in Chile and was then promoted to brigadier general. After Pinochet established his dictatorship, Floody was placed in charge of what human rights groups termed “Operation Comb,” which was in charge of capturing and eliminating “armed extremists.” In 1978 it was discovered by another high ranked officer that Floody was said to have been deeply involved in crimes against humanity during Pinochet's dictatorship, but he was never charged, and he continued his rise in the Chilean military and politics.

In 1974 Floody was appointed mayor of the Bío Bío Region in Chile and shortly thereafter was made commander of the Third Army Division, based on Concepción. He was then sent to Washington as head of the Chilean Military Mission. On his return in 1977 he was promoted to major general, and was appointed mayor of the Magallanes Region and Chilean Antárctica. During his tenure in that region, he faced a difficult situation with a potential border war with Argentina over the islands of the Beagle Channel. In 1979 Floody was appointed director of the Chilean Department of Sport. He was named the Chilean Ambassador to Israel in 1983, a position he held until 1987.