Ex-military officers from Argentina’s brutal dictatorship, along with their families, organized a rare rally on Saturday, March 29, 2025, in Buenos Aires. The demonstration aimed to advocate for the release of fellow officers who remain imprisoned for human rights abuses committed during the military junta's rule from 1976 to 1983. The event was viewed as a provocative act in a nation that has embraced the slogan “Nunca Más,” signifying Argentina’s commitment to preventing a return to authoritarianism.
Holding the rally at Plaza de Mayo, an iconic site symbolic of protests against the dictatorship, the officers stood in stark contrast to the long-standing demonstrations conducted by the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo, who have spent decades searching for children abducted and “disappeared” by the junta. This historic group of women, who circle the plaza every Thursday, has become a powerful symbol of the human rights movement in Argentina.
The rally drew significant criticism and concern from many sectors of Argentine society. Counter-protesters also gathered at Plaza de Mayo, echoing fears that the national consensus regarding the dictatorship's violent legacy is eroding. This demonstration was exacerbated by the controversial stance of President Javier Milei, who has made remarks justifying the state terrorism employed by the military regime as part of a larger conflict against leftist guerrillas.
President Milei has taken steps to change the narrative around the dictatorship, positioning his administration’s policies towards legitimizing the military’s actions during this tumultuous period. His vice president, Victoria Villarruel, whose father was a lieutenant colonel in the Argentine army, has been a vocal advocate for the military, referring to those killed by left-wing groups as “the other victims” of terrorism.
Human rights organizations expressed outrage over the government’s approach to reassess the crimes committed during the dictatorship, likening it to an attempt to legitimize extrajudicial killings. Official estimates suggest that approximately 30,000 Argentines were killed or disappeared during this dark chapter in the nation's history.
In a significant shift, President Milei appointed Army chief of staff Lt. Gen. Carlos Alberto Presti as the new defense minister, marking the first time since Argentina's transition to democracy in 1983 that a military official has held such a position. Los supporters claim this is the beginning of a new era aiming to end the “demonization” of military officers.
At Saturday’s rally, veterans and their supporters expressed feelings of victimization, claiming that society has unjustly robbed them of respect and acknowledgment for their service. Organizers like Maria Asuncion Benedit, widow of a military captain who led anti-guerilla campaigns, called for a moral vindication of veterans, challenging the official narrative that she believes is overly sympathetic to the terrorists.
Counter-protesters, including family members of victims of the dictatorship, voiced their horror at seeing former military personnel demand the release of imprisoned officers accused of genocide. Alejandro Perez, whose uncle was abducted, articulated the terror of witnessing the rally, stating that it highlighted the ongoing struggle for justice in Argentina.
The contrasting demonstrations occurred following a troubling United Nations report criticizing President Milei’s administration for dismantling investigative programs into military actions during the dictatorship and cutting funding to institutions dedicated to memorializing the victims. With Milei's radical libertarian ideals driving drastic budget cuts across various sectors, including healthcare and education, concerns mount over his commitment to enhancing the military budget.
During the U.N. torture committee meeting, Argentina's top human rights official, Alberto Baños, refuted the committee’s findings, asserting that the Milei administration remains dedicated to an unbiased historical account of the past. He condemned what he described as the commodification of human rights, emphasizing that the government would not tolerate such dynamics.
