Milei wants to erase the crimes of Argentina’s dictatorship
“Groups created to investigate crimes against humanity never thought they would ‘have to prove there was a genocide in Argentina all over again,’”
This article is by Argentinean journalist Martina Jaureguy and appeared originally in the Buenos Aires Herald
Even before becoming president, Javier Milei has insulted Argentina’s memory policies, which aim to commemorate and seek justice for victims of the country’s last dictatorship— in which tens of thousands were “disappeared”. But after six months in office, comments once dismissed as outlandish broadsides have quickly become state policy.
Now, human rights organizations are warning that a state policy of firing experts, disseminating denialist discourse of the regime’s atrocities, and flouting international commitments is endangering Argentina’s work bringing the perpetrators of atrocities to justice.
“Javier Milei’s government has completely or partially dismantled policies that are key to the memory, truth and justice process,” reads a report by human rights nonprofit, the Center for Legal and Social Studies (CELS by its Spanish acronym), which was founded during the 1976-1983 dictatorship.
This has been done largely by firing most of the people working in memory programs, failing to appoint directors — therefore leaving positions vacant — and even refusing to comply with laws and international commitments on the reparation of rights violations. These include decisions by the Justice and Defense Ministries to temporarily suspend reparations payments to victims and close a special team created to investigate dictatorship-era crimes. These policies have also been affected by the cuts applied to the entire national budget, CELS added.
These cuts have gone hand-in-hand with “revisionist and denialist stances regarding crimes against humanity committed by the armed forces during the last dictatorship,” according to CELS.
‘It’s all despicable’
Taty Almeida, a member of the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, a group created in 1977 to oppose the dictatorship of Jorge Rafael Videla, agreed with that assessment in comments to PWS, calling Milei and the rest of the cabinet “denialists” and saying that they are “constantly disrespecting the memory of our children.”
“Everything is a disaster. It’s all despicable,” she said.
“It feels like we are living in a fictional movie, but it’s real. We never thought we would have to prove there was a genocide in Argentina all over again.”
March 24 is the anniversary of the 1976 coup. The date is now Argentina’s day of memory, truth and justice, a national holiday which commemorates the 30,000 people who were forcibly disappeared by the security forces.
This March 24, the government published a video claiming that the true number of disappeared people is far lower than 30,000 and focusing on the victims of armed organizations during the 1970s, rather than those of state terrorism. The video endorses the president’s belief that during the 1970s there was a “Dirty War.” This claim is based on the discredited “two demons theory.” This maintains that the state terrorism perpetrated by the dictatorship was a legitimate form of warfare against guerrilla groups whose crimes were comparable in nature to the crimes against humanity perpetrated by the security forces. Today, it is considered denialist rhetoric by Argentinian historians.
Vice President Victoria Villarruel is known for vocally supporting military officers who are being or have been tried and incarcerated for dictatorship-era crimes against humanity. Days before the March 24 day of remembrance, Villarruel said in an interview that those military members deserve “a judicial solution.” She has also expressed pride about “being the daughter of a military officer who defended our homeland against terrorists,” referring to guerrilla groups who opposed the military dictatorship.
In April, the Defense Ministry fired 10 of the 13 expert archivists in a state program investigating military archives, virtually shutting it down. The team’s work has provided crucial evidence to convict former armed forces members of crimes and human rights violations. Defense Minister Luis Petri called them “a persecution team.” The three remaining workers have been transferred to other areas within the office. With nobody around to handle them anymore, information requests from prosecutors have gone unanswered. “Authorities have even threatened to take legal measures against its members,” CELS said.
Last month, Petri backed an informal celebration held by former students of the ex-Navy School of Mechanics (ESMA, by its Spanish initials) on the ex-ESMA grounds, celebrating the Navy just a stone’s throw from the building that was Argentina’s largest clandestine detention center during the dictatorship. Petri claimed they were just “Argentines singing the Argentine Navy march.”
Security Minister Patricia Bullrich recently refused to hand over the personal files of dozens of security forces members requested by the National Identity Commission (CONADI, by its Spanish initials), a public organization that searches for the lost children of people who were forcibly disappeared during the last dictatorship. The ministry released a statement saying the requests were “unfounded” and “out of place.”
The government has also shut down a program dedicated to streaming trials for crimes against humanity by firing six of its seven employees.
State officials even argue that teaching school students about what happened during the last dictatorship constitutes “indoctrination,” the CELS report noted.
Almeida highlighted that social movements are organizing to fight back against the Milei government’s attempts to overturn these policies.
On Wednesday, thousands of people protested Milei’s reform bill known as Ley Bases, which narrowly passed a Senate vote after being passed by the Lower House in April— and protesters clashed with security forces as demonstrations turned violent.
“Hope is the last thing you lose. Us Mothers know that very well,” Almeida said, of both the protests and actions by police. “They want us to forget” what dictatorships lead to.
The Big Headlines in LATAM
Haiti’s transitional council appointed a new unelected government to handle peace-keeping and restoring a semblance of control in the country, which has been wracked by violence for months— appointing Garry Conille as interim prime minister.
The transitional council was formed from members of Haiti’s previous failed governments and has been criticized as “not representing the Haitian people” by some observers.
Colombia’s peace suffered a series of confusing back-and-forth setbacks and achievements this week with two dissident branched of rebel groups, both descended from FARC forces that waged a more than half century war against the government.
Segunda Marquetalia, led by Iván Márquez, which is strongest in the Colombian-Venezuelan borderlands, agreed to peace talks with the Colombian government. Meanwhile, Estado Mayor Central, whom we have covered in detail before, staged dozens of coordinated attacks on police stations and military infrastructure in the departments of Cauca and Valle de Cauca in retaliation for an ongoing offensive against them by security forces.
The Ship’s Log
Last week was chaotic aboard the Good Ship Capybara. Joshua found himself unexpectedly having to relocate due to an unexpected living situation gone awry. But he writes now from Medellin, seeking another permanent housing arrangement: perhaps in Bogotá, perhaps in Cauca.
But amidst the rough seas, our coverage of the Chiquita Brands lawsuit went somewhat viral and was even reprinted in the Buenos Aires Herald. As a result, Joshua and Daniela were asked to do a more in-depth piece on the issue for NACLA, which, if you have a few moments, is definitely worth a read.
Meanwhile, Amy has concluded her Colombia visit and is back at the helm of the Herald, and knee-deep in political coverage of President Milei’s plans to impose cuts on state spending.
Spanish Word of the Week
¿Uyyyyyy, quien pidió pollo? - uyyyy, who ordered chicken?
Among a lot of other things they like, Colombians are fans of chicken. Roast chicken, fried chicken, BBQ Chicken, Chicken soup, Chicken sandwiches. You name it, it’s popular. This phrase, Colombian slang, however, isn’t really about dinner, at least not literally.
It’s a fun joke when someone attractive walks by or enters the room. Imagine you’re hanging out with your female friend (or male friend, or any other friend who likes guys) and papacito (a term for another day) Ryan Gosling walks in. They might say “¿Uyyyyyy, quien pidió pollo?”, implying that a delicious treat has arrived they would like to consume.
“Watch out Ryan Gosling, they’re going to eat you!!” you might think. But don’t worry, he is no danger. In fact, he might rather enjoy what your friend has in mind. haha.
That’s it for this week. Thanks again as always and hasta pronto, piratas!
Very interesting article 👍 It’s important for people to know what’s going on
I hope Argentinians could depose down this man from his chair. For the good of Humanity.