How Records of the Trials of the Boards Were Secretly Taken Out of the Country: Gil Lavetra, Ledesma and Valerca Debate at the Book Fair

Friday, May 12 at 5:15 p.m. A very long line waits at the door of the Alphonsina Storni room Book fair for to participate40 Years of Democracy: Trial of Juntas, a Breakthrough in Restoring the Rule of Law”, starting in fifteen minutes. It’s not just any meeting, there’s anticipation. It is before the judges Ricardo Gil Lavetra, Guillermo Ledesma And Jorge Valerca ArrowsModerated by journalist Mary O’Donnell, Interested in this version of the exhibition.

The capacity of the space reserved for the meeting is 80 people, but it is enough to find someone last in line to know that it is not possible. Five minutes later, there will be a room change and Domingo F. The organization also reports that Victoria Ocampo, including Sarmiento, is a new location. Fleeing civilians enter the room.

Gil Lavetra, Ledesma And Valerka They look around at the tough decisions they took because “army regulations don’t apply” and nothing of the sort was done, saying October 1984 was the turning point and how they were able to secretly copy the verdict. Only four copies – at one place on Lavalle Street, it took 96 cassettes to Norway “between stockings and handkerchiefs”. And the original copies are sleeping and deteriorating on a sidewalk, how they discussed among themselves, the nature of each and the close bond between them. They talk about all that.

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“Fathers, stand up”, murmurs a man in the third row, adding: “When every hearing begins, you remember? I’m going to send a message to my wife”, he shares with his seatmate from time to time at the beginning of the day. And to say: Seeing them sitting there is a rallying cry.Among the public are famous Argentine writers Claudia Piñero, Ezekiel Martinez, Fair Director; And Juan PoitoEditorial Director of Penguin Random House. O’Donnell He says, introducing each judge amid thunderous applause Leon Arslanian He can’t attend because he’s sick—and the conversation begins: How do you live? Revival Judgment?

“We are very grateful for the film Argentina 1985“, start Gil Lavetra, “because it made it possible to put back into public view an important historical fact for democratic change.” He also points out that the film was able to penetrate the younger generation who were born in democracy “and who did not experience those events that were concrete in that young democracy”.

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For his part, Ledesma He was “delighted Revival” and “This is an opportunity to identify Alphonse and to members Konadep”. valerca aros cHe agrees with his companions and warns: “Lack of political rigor has been criticized [a la película] It has gone into the background. And he continues: “The important thing is to renew the interest of young people in finding out what happened”, and he concludes: “We have to take our hats off. Santiago Miter And everyone who made the film.”

O’Donnell inquires about the book Brotherhood of Astronauts and the context of Raúl Alphonse’s assumption of the presidency, an amnesty for the military and advice on the possibility that the armed forces could be prosecuted for crimes against humanity. In this regard, Gil Lavetra says, “To get the dimension of Alfonsín’s approach, it is necessary to take into account that there is no precedent in the world for the civil court to try crimes in the Argentine state.”

“When Alphonse takes office,” Gil Lavetra continues, “Argentina’s First Restored Democracy”. Dictatorships in Uruguay, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, Bolivia and Brazil are part of this difficult environment, in which Argentina is “normal, ordinary”.

A more powerful phrase follows: “Neither the businessmen, nor the church, nor the media wanted an investigation”, sentence Gil Lavedra. Ledesma continues in that vein: “It gives me the impression that Alphonsine would have preferred the military to settle the matter”. Valerka Aros also comments on the military’s interrogation of the military and examines detention prisons. Videla And Masara.

After some technical questions about why the oral hearing ended, a phrase that elicits laughter comes: “We were initially pressured to do this behind closed doors and other concessions, I’m not going to say by whomLedesma says. The public is still enthralled in recording the protagonists of one of the most important moments in our recent history. The meeting goes on to discuss how responsibility was attributed, how the investigation could be reformed, the selection of exemplary cases, and “an extraordinary job of prosecuting with the help of CONADEP.”

As they begin to tell stories, the talk begins to loosen. For example, when Ledesma describes his trip to Norway to pick up the first copy of the judgment. “We carry it in our suitcases,” he says. “We secretly copiedWe were taking up bits of the room [Nacional de Apelaciones en lo Criminal y Correccional Federal de la Capital Federal]”, details Gil Lavetra and continues: “El Negro (referring to Ledesma) was the head of that administration. I don’t know who let us in.

Continue the journey: “We took them to a place Call Lavalle to transfer it to VHS, we had about 96 cassettes and we distributed them and they carried suitcases with socks and handkerchiefs.. “It’s a craftsman’s job,” sums up Gil Lavetra.

Valerga Aráoz offers other noteworthy data: “The problem is that the originals in the Federal Chamber began to deteriorate.” Because? According to Valerga Aráoz, “They were on a wet sidewalk, and Uruguay Street was completely closed. It was dangerous and anyone who wanted to make them disappear could do so by striking a match.”

Now they count There are four copies: one at Open Memory, one at the Federal Chamber, one at the University of Salamanca and another with the Judges. But where can you find a complete test of boards? “Nowhere”, they say, even adding that “there are missing parts of Norway’s digitalisation”. And one more information: “What is in the University of Salamanca has deteriorated by 8% and One of the cassettes was re-recorded with soap operas”. “Argentina”, concludes Gil Lavetra.

According to the judges participating in the meeting, if there is one dramatic point, it is Point 30, there was tension with the government, which ordered the prosecution of high-ranking officers who had encroached on zone and sub-zone commands. “We couldn’t dictate it, we ran into crimes,” says Ledesma. Then came the painted facelifts.

The dialogue revolves around the bond built between them after the trial. “They told us we were in a spaceship,” recalls Gil Lavetra—hence the title of his book. Brotherhood of Astronauts– And remember that rooms are armed by order. Thus, he brings into conversation how some were “lightning and lightning” and others “peace and love.” They laugh, they remember. “The fraternity of astronauts is perfect,” says Ledesma. It makes me laugh when I think about how they got along.

“40 Years of Democracy Day: Trial of Juntas, a Breakthrough in Restoring the Rule of Law” is coming to an end. Meaning of Laws Due obedience And Final point. “We didn’t like it, the room was broken,” says Gil Lavetra.

“From the room we use the Law of Obedience. It annoyed all of us, but I think we also have to understand the difficult situation in which Alfonsín found himself at the time, and none of us saw fit to declare that law unconstitutional. I repeat, we use it every day,” says Velarca Aros. Both agree that there were strong debates about those laws and the constitution. “I have a very soft view of time,” says Gil Lavetra.

“Great. I look at them, they’re like you, who had to face the sons of pitchers who pissed them off,” says the third rower, who continues to talk about the laws. Due obedience And Final point Along with his final seatmate, those present rush to take photos and talk with the protagonists of one of our country’s most important historical events. Argentina.

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