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Argentina experienced three failed attempts at rural guerrilla warfare between 1959 and 1969. At that point, the insurgents decided in favor of urban guerilla warfare. [[Jorge Ricardo Masetti]], leader of the  ''Ejército Guerrillero del Pueblo'' (People's Guerrilla Army or EGP), which had infiltrated into Salta Province from Bolivia in 1964, is considered by some as Argentina's first "disappeared", as he went missing after the party militants' defeat in clashes with the Argentine gendarmerie. It seemed obvious that they would be safer and more relevant in crowded cities than in isolated rural areas.

Argentina experienced three failed attempts at rural guerrilla warfare between 1959 and 1969. At that point, the insurgents decided in favor of urban guerilla warfare. [[Jorge Ricardo Masetti]], leader of the  ''Ejército Guerrillero del Pueblo'' (People's Guerrilla Army or EGP), which had infiltrated into Salta Province from Bolivia in 1964, is considered by some as Argentina's first "disappeared", as he went missing after the party militants' defeat in clashes with the Argentine gendarmerie. It seemed obvious that they would be safer and more relevant in crowded cities than in isolated rural areas.

Between the ousting of president Juan Domingo Perón in 1955 and his return from exile in 1973, a number of urban left-wing guerrilla organizations emerged. Six major groups - two Marxist-Maoist- Guevarrist-oriented, and four populist-socialist Peronist-oriented - eventually disbanded or joined the Marxist People's Revolutionary Army (ERP) or the Peronist Montoneros. The Montoneros became the largest and most active of the two revolutionary movements in the major cities and fought alongside the ERP in Tucumán province. In 1971, the left-wing guerrillas killed 57 policemen, and in 1972 the ERP and Montoneros killed another 38 policemen.<ref>Guerrillas and Generals: The Dirty War in Argentina, Paul H. Lewis, Page 53, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2002</ref>

Prior to 1973 the major revolutionary groups were the Peronist Armed Forces (''Fuerzas Armadas Peronistas'' or FAP), the Marxist–Leninist-Peronist Revolutionary Armed Forces (''Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias'' or FAR), and the Marxist–Leninist Armed Forces of Liberation (''Fuerzas Armadas de Liberación'' or FAL). The FAL guerrillas raided Campo de Mayo in April 1969 and stole 100 assault rifles from the elite 1st ''Patricios'' Infantry Regiment.<ref>Los 70, Violencia en la Argentina. p. 119. Ejército Argentino. (Círculo militar, 2001)</ref>In 1971, the left-wing guerrillas killed 57 policemen, and in 1972 the ERP and Montoneros killed another 38 policemen.<ref>Guerrillas and Generals: The Dirty War in Argentina, Paul H. Lewis, Page 53, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2002</ref>

The ERP publicly remained in the forefront. ERP guerrilla activity took the form of attacks on military outposts, police stations and convoys. Between March and July 1971 the Argentine newspapers reported 316 armed attacks by the ERP.<ref>Masters of war: Latin America and United States Aggression from the Cuban Revolution through the Clinton Years, Clara Nieto, Page 234, Seven Stories Press, 2011</ref>

The ERP publicly remained in the forefront. ERP guerrilla activity took the form of attacks on military outposts, police stations and convoys. Between March and July 1971 the Argentine newspapers reported 316 armed attacks by the ERP.<ref>Masters of war: Latin America and United States Aggression from the Cuban Revolution through the Clinton Years, Clara Nieto, Page 234, Seven Stories Press, 2011</ref>