A living icon, and perpetual memory, the Madres of the Plaza de Mayo have been, are, and will continue to be the leading force in the fight against the injustices of the Dirty War (1976-1983).
If you’ve ever wandered into Plaza de Mayo on a Thursday afternoon, you’ve probably gotten at least a glimpse of the Madres walking solemnly around the statue in front of the Casa Rosada. It’s a touching spectacle, though there’s much more to the story of these Madres than meets the eyes.
The story of the Madres began in 1976, after the Argentine army staged a coup d’etat that set into motion a seven-year period now known as the “Dirty War.” During the military dictatorship, thousands of people were taken from their families by the government and placed in concentration camps. These people eventually disappeared, never to be heard from again. Many of the desaparecidos, as they are called, were union workers. The act of stealing these people away was a part of the government’s attempt to undermine the influence of unions. Among the others taken were progressive community members such as artists, scientists, journalists, and intellectuals. Though it’s widely known that many of the kidnapped were later brutally murdered, there is very little documented evidence to prove such brutality.
In April of 1977, the organization of the Madres de Plaza de Mayo was formed when 14 mothers met during the search for their missing children. Impassioned by the same fervent anger toward the military government and grief over the loss of their children, together these women organized their first demonstration at the heart of Argentine politics in front of the Casa Rosada in Plaza de Mayo.
Though speaking out against the dictatorship and putting themselves in what they knew would be great danger, the 14 founders of the association showed no fear in confronting their enemies. Several of these women, including Azucena Villaflor – their first leader— María Eugenia Bianco and Esther Careagalater were kidnapped, tortured, and murdered, in what most suspect was a governmental attempt to silence the women. The Madres, rattled but not broken, continued their struggle.
As a symbol of the blankets of their children, the Madres began to wear white headscarves embroidered with the names of the missing. This iconic white scarf has become the symbol of the Madres, and is painted along the sidewalk of the plaza, near the May Pyramid, where they march each week. This sidewalk painting, although worn by the soles of the shoes of those who tread upon it daily, is now a protected national landmark. Nearby, the recovered remains of the Madres’ lost leaders, Villaflor, Bianco and Careagalater, now rest below the May Pyramid.
By 1983, thousands of supporters had joined the organization in its pursuit of justice and truth, and the network eventually garnered the support of Amnesty International and the United Nations Human Rights Commission. For over 25 years the Madres have performed their ritual protest, walking silently around the Plaza de Mayo, demanding the truth about what happened to their children. However, what began as a protest of angry mothers later became a human rights movement. The Madres grew to be an emblem of solidarity and strength, becoming symbolic “madres” for any oppressed Argentines.
In the years following the fall of the dictatorship in 1983, the Madres pressed the newly instated democratic government for answers regarding the desaparecidos. When the new governing body brought about neither hope for the Madres nor punishment for the culprits of these kidnappings and supposed murders, the Madres transformed their ideology. No longer were they only fighting for their own children, but rather for a “just and fair-minded society.”
As the political agenda of the association transformed and developed, a rift grew between members of the group, dividing those whose interests lay in their foundations, and those whose interests lay in the country’s political future. Many of the Madres believed that their mission was solely to uncover the truth about their desaparecidos and to ensure that those responsible be punished. Others, however, found that when the democratic government took little action to right the wrongs of the previous military dictatorship, their obligations expanded to promote a more drastic and visible political change.
In 1986, amidst a growing disparity among members of the movement, the group split into two factions. Twelve of the Madres, including some from the founding 14, left to create the Línea Fundadora (Founding Line). The Madres de Plaza de Mayo Línea Fundadora remains true to the original vision of the association, avoiding extreme political agendas. Their principle goals focus on continuing to pressure the government for information on their lost family members, recovering remains, bringing the perpetrators to justice, and identifying the missing children of the desaparecidos.
The other faction, the Asociación Madres de Plaza de Mayo takes a much more radical political approach, supporting a complete revolution of the political system, resulting in a socialist Argentina. They have resisted monetary bribes from the government, and refuse to accept the presumed murders of the desaparecidos while those responsible go free. This faction has caused quite a bit of controversy in Argentina, most notably for when their leader Hebe de Bonafini spoke out in support of the September 11th airline hijackers, and their reputed defense of Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi regime.
Whatever your political inclination or opinion on the Madres’ and their split, a visit to admire their unwavering devotion is highly recommended stop while in Buenos Aires.
To see the Madres, or join them in their march, head down to Plaza de Mayo at 3:30pm on any given Thursday afternoon. Both groups will be there, rain or shine.
To delve further into Argentina’s history:
The history behind Argentina’s two Independence days, and how they’re celebrated in Buenos Aires.
Take a deep dive into the roots of Argentina’s sultry and sensual ballroom dance; Tango.
Curious about the roots of the current financial instability in Argentina? Check out the history of the 2001 economic crisis.
