It was to be a hearing in which the state of memory, the truth and justice policies during the Javier Milei government were discussed. However, it ended up being a situation in which the administration of La Libertad Avanza (LLA) ended up showing its source which includes contempt for human rights groups, accusations that the revenge of the the face of the Armed Forces and an appeal to “total memory” – as the pro-liberation sectors say. Led by Estela de Carlotto and Taty Almeida, human rights groups asked the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to visit Argentina. “We ask you to come and listen to us in our country so that you can personally see everything we said,” asked the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo – Landline representative.
The hearing on memory, truth and justice started promptly at 6 pm In Washington a delegation from the organizations was made up of Paula Litvachky – executive director of the Center for Legal and Social Studies (CELS), Verónica Torras – director of Memoria Abierta – , Carolina Villella – coordinator of the Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo legal team – and Claudia Poblete, one of the granddaughters who is a member of the board of directors of the institution. With them was the writer and university professor Martín Kohan.
In Buenos Aires, Estela de Carlotto and Taty Almeida took the first seats in the auditorium of the House for Identity in the Space of Memory and Human Rights working in the concentration camp of the School of Naval Mechanics (ESMA). They were joined by Carlos Pisoni, from HIJOS Capital, and Graciela Lois, from the Relatives of the Disappeared and Detained for Political Reasons.
The president of Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo broke the ice, recalling that they joined the IAHR in the middle of the dictatorship and that they received a visit in 1979 – which confirmed what the relatives had been denying : the disappearances and hidden institutions everywhere. . “I come today, now 94 years old, to ask for your help once again against the problems of human rights in Argentina,” said Estela de Carlotto.
Litvachky denied that “the government has a program that seeks to change the social balance of criticism of the dictatorship and enable more state violence today. Pisoni spoke about the layoffs in the Secretariat of Human Rights that affect memory policies. Claudia Poblete said that there are very few grandmothers left but that the search continues, as there are around 300 grandchildren who still need to be found. Villella, for his part, aimed to close the special investigation unit (UEI) that worked within the National Commission for the Right to Identity (Conadi). Verónica Torras spoke about the abolition of the archive policy and the attack on memory sites. “There are truths that await, like justice to come. But even those who have reached us, over the years, must be protected from the onslaught that stalks them today,” Kohan said.
The delegation of the Argentine State consisted of Sonia Cavallo – the daughter of the former Minister of Economy who is the ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS), Alberto Baños – the Secretary of Human Rights of the Country – and Juan Batalleme, Secretary of International Affairs national of the Ministry of Defense – led by Luis Petri.
Battaleme began by saying that Javier Milei is leading a “reorganization process” in the face of a “distressing reality”. In his case, he had to justify the dismantling of the Documentary Research and Analysis Teams (ERyA) working in Defence. He was moving between the excuse of maximizing resources and duplicating powers with an ideological overflow. “The operatives of this task force presented themselves as vigilantes but, in reality, they were vigilantes,” he said. He also said he would not provide information to Conadi arguing that they could authorize “fishing trips” because the files were “military secrets.” And he joked when he had to explain why Defense officials – as he had told them Page/12– They visited Unit 34 of Campo de Mayo.
The greatest emphasis of the Defense ambassador was to say that “the fight for justice should not be an area of revenge” and to demand “justice for all and total memory”. In fact, that slogan is more than 20 years old and is a response to the demand for memory, truth and justice from human rights groups.
Baños began her presentation by addressing the Mothers and Grandmothers. “The problem is that they see themselves as owners of the story. The memory belongs to all the victims,” continued the Secretary of Human Rights. He later said that the files were protected and that Conadi was still working despite the disappearance of the special unit.
Baños’ moment of glory was when he exploded with anger when he warned that Jan Jarab, representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in South America, was going to speak. Jarab – who had already attended the hearing about social protests in July – said that he was worried about the rhetoric of some authorities who disregard the crimes of the dictator.
-I don’t know if he appears as a petitioner, rapporteur or censor – Baños burst out. By what right?
“I was informed about your participation,” replied Paula Litvachky while the Human Rights Secretary did not stop protesting and accusing the IAHR of prosecuting the Argentine State.
A few minutes later, the secretary of the IACHR, María Claudia Pulido, responded from October 28 that it seemed that Jarab was going to be part of the hearing.
All the commissioners highlighted Abuelas’ work in particular, and Argentina’s role in promoting memory, truth and justice. “I don’t think this fight at the Grandmothers is about revenge,” replied the Guyanese commissioner Arif Bulkman. Tania Reneaum Panszi, the executive secretary of the IACHR, said she was concerned about the statements she heard from Milei government officials.
She was not the only one. When responding to the comments of the Argentine State, Claudia Poblete responded quickly. “It’s not fishing and it’s not a vain search. It’s the speech of the perpetrators, it’s the speech I was raised with,” said the woman who reclaimed her identity in 2000 and won her case that the laws were unconstitutional. prevented the management’s lawsuit.
Kohan reprimanded Baños for talking about “those women” in front of the Mothers and Grandmothers.
– Estela de Carlotto is the name of the person who spoke first. Call her by her name. You’ll save yourself the embarrassment and we’ll save you embarrassment.
Paula Litvachky denied that what is clear is the government’s unwillingness to comply with its international obligations regarding human rights and read a tweet shared by the President in the said e “be careful, lefties, and then do not cry humanity “. Baños did not have time – between protests – to respond if Argentina accepted the visit from the IAHR.
