They pay tribute to Álvarez Garín for his tenth death anniversary

Mexico City. Family, friends and colleagues from Committee 68 held an honor guard in memory of Raúl Álvarez Garín for the tenth anniversary of the activist and social fighter, whom they fondly remembered. At the Estela de Tlatelolco, located in the Plaza de las Tres Culturas, they placed flowers and paid a minute of silence.

Félix Hernández Gamundi, former student leader of ’68, said that remembering Raúl is always a complex situation due to the lack he makes in the sociopolitical life of Mexico. He even expressed that he was a tireless social fighter, an example of congruence and commitment. His life and actions, he stated, left us great lessons that remain valid in the fight for truth and justice. “Due to the absence of their guidance, opinion in difficult moments in the life of the country, such as those we have experienced for a long time.”

But not only that, regarding the tenth anniversary of the disappearance of the 43 normal students of Ayotzinapa, Guerrero, he recalled the commitment of the lifelong social fighter and ideological leader, with the rural normal schools. “This departure of Raúl, which coincides with the tremendous aggression against the students in Iguala, still makes it a doubly complex and significant moment.”

He stated that with the discussion of the reform of the Judiciary, “I thought a lot about Raúl, because 56 years after Tlatelolco we are still in the midst of this situation of impunity for the genocide of 1968. The fight of Raúl and Committee 68 had extraordinary achievements” .

He expressed that thanks to Álvarez Garín, they proceeded before the courts and formulated an accusation of genocide against those responsible for the massacre of students in Tlatelolco in 1968.
“It is important to remember this, because the 1968 case remains unpunished, regardless of how much progress we have made.”

For this reason, he added that this is a moment to “recharge our batteries” in this moment of Raúl Álvarez Garín, “not in the memory of nostalgia, but in the proud memory of the teachings of and by Raúl. Today we feel strengthened, in presence of many friends and young people”.
During the event, flowers and a heart made with rose petals were placed and they chanted repeatedly: “Raúl lives, the fight continues!”
His friends thanked life for having been people like Álvarez Garín, “who was the best movement leader of ’68. Thanks to him he kept us united in such a difficult month in those years.”

But not only that, they agreed that Álvarez Garín knew how to summon his combative spirit in young people, however he also had other qualities, such as his way of talking, telling his stories and fighting battles that he shared, in addition to all the legacy he left regarding to the social movement in Mexico.

Carolina Verduzco, member of Committee 68, indicated that the death of Álvarez Garín occurred precisely at the time when the students of the Isidro Burgos Rural Normal School in Ayotzinapa were being repressed. For this reason, he recalled that Álvarez Garín always had great affection and prediction for rural normalism as well as in favor of popular causes.

Meanwhile, his sister, Tania Álvarez Garín, pointed out that Raúl’s emptiness is difficult “because his absence is felt more and more, due to the number of problems that exist in the country, issues that my brother fought on all his life. in which he fought and proposed solutions. This coincidence that he dies when the young people of Aayotzinapa disappear is very strong and difficult to disaggregate one issue from the other. That is why this feeling of lack of justice, unfulfilled promises on the part of the authorities”.