23 aprile 1985 | IL PROCESSO DESAPARECIDOS

Summary

On April 23, 1985, a trial began in Buenos Aires against six generals and three admirals, including Jorge Videla and Emilio Massera, accused of responsibility for the disappearance, torture, and deaths of thousands of people during Argentina's military dictatorship (1976-1983). The regime's brutal methods targeted political dissidents, leading to the systematic abduction and killing of so-called 'desaparecidos.' The courageous protests of the Madres de Plaza de Mayo brought global attention to these crimes. After the dictatorship fell, the perpetrators were held accountable, with Videla later arrested and dying in prison in 2013.

Takeaways

• 😀 The trial of six generals and three admirals, including Jorge Videla and Emilio Massera, began in Buenos Aires on April 23, 1985, for crimes during Argentina's military dictatorship.
• 😀 These military leaders were accused of being responsible for the torture, disappearance, and deaths of thousands of people, known as the 'desaparecidos', from 1976 to 1983.
• 😀 The Argentine military junta came to power through a coup, and Jorge Videla became president, implementing a brutal dictatorship with severe repression against opponents.
• 😀 During this period, political dissidents or suspected opponents were systematically abducted, tortured, and disappeared, often without a trace.
• 😀 Dissidents were frequently arrested in the dead of night and transported in unmarked green Ford Falcons, with no information given to families about their whereabouts.
• 😀 The full scope of these atrocities was revealed only after the dictatorship fell, with the publication of the Nunca Más report shedding light on many of the disappearances.
• 😀 Many of the desaparecidos were imprisoned and tortured in clandestine detention centers before being murdered and buried in mass graves or dumped into the Atlantic Ocean or Río de la Plata.
• 😀 The Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, courageous mothers of the desaparecidos, led peaceful protests, which helped bring global awareness to the atrocities occurring in Argentina.
• 😀 At the conclusion of the 1985 trial, Jorge Videla and Emilio Massera were sentenced to life imprisonment, with other perpetrators receiving various prison terms.
• 😀 In 1990, President Carlos Menem granted an amnesty to many of those responsible, but in 2007, the Federal Court ruled this amnesty unconstitutional, leading to Videla's re-arrest.
• 😀 Jorge Videla died in prison on May 17, 2013, at the age of 87, following his re-arrest after being found guilty of crimes during the military dictatorship.

Q & A

What event does the transcript focus on?

The transcript discusses the trial that began on April 23, 1985, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where six generals and three admirals, including Jorge Videla and Emilio Massera, were charged for their roles in the disappearance, torture, and deaths of thousands of people during Argentina's military dictatorship.

What was the period of the military dictatorship in Argentina?

The military dictatorship in Argentina lasted from 1976 to 1983, a period marked by severe repression and violations of human rights.

Who was Jorge Rafael Videla?

Jorge Rafael Videla was the president of Argentina during the military dictatorship. He led a brutal regime that used extreme repression against political opponents.

What were the 'desaparecidos'?

The 'desaparecidos' (the disappeared) were individuals who were abducted, tortured, and often killed by the military regime, with their fate often remaining unknown to their families.

How did the military regime carry out arrests and disappearances?

Arrests and disappearances often took place at night, without witnesses, with victims being taken in unmarked Ford Falcon cars. The authorities provided no information to the families of the victims.

What is the 'Nunca Más' report?

The 'Nunca Más' (Never Again) report was published after the fall of the military junta, helping to shed light on the crimes committed during the dictatorship and providing details on the fates of many of the desaparecidos.

What happened to the bodies of the desaparecidos?

The bodies of the desaparecidos were often hidden in mass graves, thrown into the Atlantic Ocean, or disposed of in the Rio de la Plata, sometimes referred to as 'pools of death.'

How did the Madres de Plaza de Mayo contribute to the fight for justice?

The Madres de Plaza de Mayo were a group of mothers whose children had disappeared. They bravely protested against the regime and worked to bring global attention to the atrocities being committed.

What was the outcome of the trial in 1985 for Videla and Massera?

At the end of the trial in 1985, Jorge Videla and Emilio Massera were sentenced to life imprisonment, while the other accused were given various prison sentences.

What happened to the perpetrators after Carlos Menem's pardon in 1990?

In 1990, President Carlos Menem issued an amnesty that pardoned many of the individuals responsible for the atrocities. However, in 2007, the federal court declared the amnesty unconstitutional, and Videla was arrested again.