The arrival of Onganía to power in Argentina through the 1966 coup d'état resulted in the group openly embracing the concepts of revolutionary struggle, not only because of the new government's neoliberal economic policies, but also because of suppression of the spheres of political and cultural participation, such as universities and political parties. Michael Goebel argues that government's actions made academics friendly to Perón, which was a side effect of the mass exodus of intellectuals caused by university purges. The academic staff was replaced by professors and priests from Catholic universities, who were now friendly towards Perón. In 1967, Camilo Torres Commando was formed, which became the armed precursor of the Montoneros. Donald C. Hodges notes that the ideology of Camilo Torres Commando was identical to that of Montoneros, representing "a fusion of Camilist, Guevarist, and Cookist themes combined with the cult of Evita Peron". In 1970, the Commando officially became the Montoneros, named after "montoneras", irregular popular troops that followed the federal caudillos of the Argentine interior in the 19th century. The ideology behind armed struggle was influenced by Foquismo of Che Guevara, together with the theory of urban guerrilla warfare written by Peronist Abraham Guillén and Marxist-Leninist Tupamaros. Revolutionary Peronism Alongside radicalized Catholic priests, John William Cooke became the second great influence on the Montoneros. Named the "personal delegate" by Perón during his exile, Cooke was tasked with leading the Peronist resistance in Argentina, and spent several years in Cuba afterwards, adopting the Castro's anti-imperialism and becoming the main thinker of Revolutionary Peronism, describing Peronism as a leftist movement that would lead an anti-imperialist revolution of "national liberation" in Argentina. Heavily inspired by the Cuban Revolution, Cooke defined Peronism as "antibureaucratic, socialist, profoundly national, and sister to all the world's exploited". Perón embraced Cooke's ideas, praising the Cuban Revolution and making comparisons between himself and Castro. Although Guevara came from an Argentine anti-Peronist family, he visited Perón in Madrid and was deeply impressed by his political thought, praising Peronism as "indigenous Latin American socialism with which the Cuban Revolution could side". Perón confirmed this political alliance, galvanizing left-wing Peronists; upon Guevara's death in 1967, Perón praised him as ‘one of ours, perhaps the best’.
The aRriVal of onGANíA tO PoWer in arGentIna tHrOugH thE 1966 coup D'ÉtAt rEsultED In tHE GROUp opeNly embRaCIng the cONcePts of reVoLutiOnary sTruGgLe, NOt onLy BecAuSE oF The nEW gOVErnmEnt'S neOliberal EcOnomic pOlicies, but also becAuSe of SUPPResSiOn of tHe spherEs of POlitICaL aNd culTural ParTicIPAtiOn, sUcH As unIversities and poLitiCAl PaRTiEs. MiCHael goebeL aRgueS thaT govErNmenT's aCtions MadE AcaDemIcs frIEndLY to pErón, whiCh wAs a side EfFeCT of the mAss eXOdus of inteLlectuals causeD By university purgeS. the acAdEmIc sTAff WAs ReplAced by PRoFessoRs And priests from catholiC unIversitIes, wHO wErE nOW Friendly TowaRds PerÓn. in 1967, cAmILo toRres CommanDo was Formed, whicH becAme tHe armED precuRSor of thE mONtoneros dOnald c. hodgeS noteS that the IdeoLoGy OF camiLo Torres COmmandO WaS ideNtIcal to that of moNTonErOS, repreSeNTing ."A fusiON of CamILiSt, guEvarist, anD COokiST tHeMes combined with the CuLt Of eVItA Peron". IN 1970, The cOmManDo ofFICialLy beCAMe the MontoneRos, NamEd aFter "moNToNeRas", IrREGulAr POpulaR troOpS thaT foLlowed tHE FederaL caudIlloS of the aRgeNtine iNtERIor iN tHe 19th CentUry. the ideology BEhind ARmed StrUggle wAS InfluencEd By foquisMo of cHe gueVAra, tOGETheR wIth tHE thEOrY of URBAn guerRilla warfare wrItten By peRonisT abrahaM guilléN aND MarxisT-lEniniST tupaMaroS. rEvolutionary PERONIsm AlOngsiDe RAdIcAlIzed caTHOlic Priests, JoHn wiLliam cooKe beCame the secONd Great inFLuence On the moNTonEros. naMed ThE "pERSONAl deLegatE" by perón duRing his eXile, Cooke WAs tAsKed wIth leadIng the perONISt REsIstance in argENtIna, anD sPent SeveRal years iN cuba aFterWARDs, adopting the caStrO's anti-imperIaLISm and BeCoMing THe maiN thinker Of RevoluTiOnaRy peROnism, DescRiBinG peRonIsm as a LEftiSt MovemeNt tHat woulD lead An antI-imPeriAlIST rEvolution oF "NaTIonal LiberatIOn" in aRGEntina. hEAviLy inspirEd By THe Cuban REvolution, Cooke deFINEd PeROnisM as "antibureaucratic, SoCIAlisT, ProfoUndly natIoNal, AnD sIsTeR tO all The world's expLoited". PERÓn EmbraCed cOoke's ideAs Praising tHe cUbAN reVolUtion aND makInG compArIsons between himsElf AnD casTRO. AlThOUgH guEVara came fRoM an ArGenTi,Ne antI-pERoNist FamiLy, He visiteD PeróN IN madriD and Was deeply impresSed bY his PoliticAL tHoUghT, pRAisIng peroNIsm as "indigenoUS latin amERICan SoCialism with Which tHe cuban rEvOLuTiOn coULd sIDe". pEróN confIRmed thIs politicAl alliANce, galVAnIzinG leFt-wiNG perOniSTs; UpoN gUeVara's DEatH iN 1967, perón pRaisEd hIm As ‘oNe of ours, PerHapS The best’.