The Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo, in Argentina, announced this Thursday that they “recovered” a new child abducted during the dictatorship (1976-1983) from a couple arrested in 1977 and then disappeared, being the 131st grandchild to recover their identity.
The “Abuelas” (grandmothers) indicated in a press release: “With joy, we announce a new restitution of identity.”
“It is as if the end of the year fulfilled all our wishes,” they wrote, referring to the World Cup that Argentina won.
And he continued: “After almost three years, we once again celebrate the discovery of a grandson.”
The emblematic president of Avós, Estela de Carlotto, told the press that “grandson number 131” is 44 years old and is the son of former Marxist militants Lucía Nadín and Aldo Quevedo, from Mendoza, arrested in Buenos Aires in October 1977.
The young woman, then 19 years old, was almost three months pregnant.
Estela de Carlotto, still energetic at 92, thought it likely grandson 131 had been born at ESMA, the Navy School of Mechanics, whose wing became the dictatorship’s most infamous detention and torture center.
It was from this former ESMA, now a museum and Memory Space, that announced the discovery of “nº 131”, which was missing. It usually takes time to digest the “true” identity before a public performance.
“This man agreed to take the (DNA) test and yesterday (Wednesday) the National Genetic Data Bank released the happy news: he is the son of Lucía Nadin and Aldo Quevedo,” said Estela de Carlotto, showing a photo of the couple.
During the military dictatorship, between 300 and 500 children were “appropriated.” They were born to a detained mother and then disappeared and were handed over to a home that wanted or did not want to have children, often close to the regime, also with the idea of raising a politically “correct” child.
In 45 years of investigation, 130 cases were “solved” and the children’s original identities restored. Case 131 was the first since 2019.
Refunds have been rare in recent years, partly due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which for many months made contact and investigation difficult.
The “Grandmothers” organization, now supported by a younger generation of activists, has in recent months relaunched so-called “spontaneous outreach” sessions, touring provinces and inviting anyone with doubts about their identity to come speak, in full confidentiality, with specially trained counselors. Then, if the suspicions are confirmed, a DNA test is offered.
The “Grandmothers” are still looking for “300 men and women, around 45 years old, who live under their false identity.”
“We will continue working with the hope of finding all our grandsons and granddaughters. They can be anywhere in the world”, said Estela de Carloto, who added that “it is a work of patience and love”.
“We started to dream again,” he concluded, referring to the favorite song of the Argentine fans at the World Cup: “Muchachos.”
According to estimates by human rights NGOs, around 30,000 people died or disappeared during the dictatorship.
Source: TSF
