🇦🇷 Dictadura Argentina I Los brutales VUELOS para EXTERMINAR y desaparecer personas

Summary

This video explores the infamous 'Death Flights' during Argentina's military dictatorship (1976-1983), where detainees, often sedated, were thrown alive from planes into the Río de la Plata or the sea. Known as part of a systematic extermination plan, these flights were designed to eliminate evidence and wipe out those deemed subversive. The video delves into the gruesome details, including testimonies from military personnel and the involvement of international forces. Despite decades passing, many questions remain unanswered about the true scale of these operations and the fate of thousands of disappeared individuals.

Takeaways

• 😀 The 'Death Flights' (Vuelos de la Muerte) were a systematic method of mass extermination during Argentina's dictatorship from 1976 to 1983, where prisoners were thrown alive into the sea or River Plate after being sedated.
• 😀 These flights were conducted at night, with military planes, primarily Fiat 222s and Hercules C-130s, transporting prisoners to be thrown from the aircraft.
• 😀 The prisoners were given sedatives under the guise of vaccines before boarding, ensuring they would be unconscious during the flight and the subsequent execution.
• 😀 The military employed a methodical approach with the full institutional approval of the Argentine Navy and Air Force, involving high-level coordination.
• 😀 Several thousand people are estimated to have been exterminated using these flights, though the exact number remains uncertain, with estimates ranging from 1,500 to 30,000 disappeared individuals.
• 😀 Uruguay's military also participated in at least two of these secret flights, showcasing potential international cooperation between Argentina and Uruguay's military dictatorships.
• 😀 Captain Adolfo Silingo, a key figure in the Argentine Navy, publicly acknowledged the state's involvement in the 'terrorism of the state' and the complicity of the Catholic Church.
• 😀 Bodies of victims were found along the coasts of Uruguay and Argentina, identified as coming from clandestine detention centers, such as the Navy School of Mechanics and Campo de Mayo.
• 😀 The method used for these executions was designed to eliminate evidence of the crimes and prevent the discovery of bodies until many years later.
• 😀 The issue remains a subject of ongoing legal investigation, with courts still working on cases related to these mass exterminations, as the full truth is yet to be uncovered.

Q & A

What were the 'Death Flights' during the Argentine military dictatorship?

The 'Death Flights' were a method of mass extermination used by the Argentine military dictatorship between 1976 and 1983. Victims, often political prisoners, were drugged, thrown alive from planes into the Río de la Plata or the sea, and disappeared without a trace.

What was the role of the military in carrying out the Death Flights?

The Argentine military, particularly the Navy, played a central role in carrying out the Death Flights. These operations were conducted under institutional orders, and testimonies confirm that the entire Argentine Navy was complicit in the crimes.

How did the military authorities ensure that the victims were unaware of their fate during the Death Flights?

The victims were first injected with a sedative, such as pentothal or similar drugs, under the false pretense that they were being vaccinated. A second dose was administered during the flight to ensure they were unconscious before being thrown into the water.

Why was the method of the Death Flights chosen by the military dictatorship?

The Death Flights were chosen because they allowed the military to secretly dispose of bodies without leaving traces, thereby eliminating evidence of the crimes and silencing political dissidents.

Which types of aircraft were used in the Death Flights?

The primary aircraft used were the Fiat 222 (also known as 'Hercules'), HC-6 Twin Otter, Hercules C-130, Fokker F-27, and Bell UH-1H helicopters.

What role did the church play in the Death Flights according to Captain Adolfo Silingo?

Captain Adolfo Silingo claimed that the military consulted the church's hierarchy and adopted a method that was deemed 'Christian' by the church. The church's complicity in the state's terrorism was also acknowledged by Silingo.

How did the international community, particularly Uruguay, become involved in the Death Flights?

In 2005, the Uruguayan Air Force admitted to participating in at least two of the Death Flights. Uruguay itself was under a military dictatorship at the time, and there were suspicions of cooperation between Argentina and Uruguay in carrying out these operations.

What is the estimated number of people killed in the Death Flights?

While exact figures remain unclear, estimates suggest that several thousand people were killed in the Death Flights. Captain Silingo estimated that around 4,400 people were killed in this manner, although the total number of victims may be higher.

What evidence has been found to link the Death Flights to specific detention centers?

Bodies recovered from the Death Flights have been linked to known clandestine detention centers, including the Navy School of Mechanics (ESMA), Campo de Mayo, El Campito, and El Olimpo. Many of the remains were identified years later.

What ongoing investigations are being conducted regarding the Death Flights?

The Argentine justice system continues to investigate the Death Flights, seeking to uncover the full extent of the crimes and identify the individuals responsible. However, many questions remain unanswered, particularly regarding the precise number of victims and the full scale of the operation.