December 1981 - December 11, 1981 (Friday)

December 11, 1981 (Friday)

• El Mozote massacre: In El Salvador, army units killed 900 civilians, including women and children, in three towns, with more than half (482) shot in the town of El Mozote. More than a decade later, investigators found 143 skeletons buried at the town, and estimated that 85% of them had been children under 14.
• In his last professional boxing match, former world champion Muhammad Ali lost to Trevor Berbick. The 40-year old Ali, attempting a comeback, lost a unanimous decision after ten rounds in the fight in Nassau, The Bahamas.
• The U.S. Department of State effectively banned travel by Americans to Libya, directing that U.S. passports were not to be used to go there.
• Roberto Viola, who had been on sick leave since November 21 when he was replaced by Interior Minister Horacio Liendo, was dismissed by the military junta that had placed him in power. General Leopoldo Galtieri, head of the three man junta, replaced Viola with Rear Admiral Carlos Lacoste until assuming the office on December 22.
• Born: Javier Saviola, Argentine soccer player, in Buenos Aires