Former Argentine military ruler Videla dies in prison

Former Argentine military ruler Jorge Rafael Videla died Friday while serving life sentences in prison for crimes against humanity, reported Xinhua citing a government spokesperson. He was 87.

Videla, who took power in a 1976 coup and ruled until 1981, died of natural causes, the spokesperson said.

He was imprisoned in 2010 to serve life sentences after being convicted of crimes against humanity, including torture and murders of left-wing activists and the systematic theft of babies born to political prisoners in secret detention centres.