Milei Normalizes “Never Again” – New Attack on Consensus
The Erosion of “Never Again”: Milei, Villarruel, and the Assault on Argentina‘s Democratic Memory
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Argentina’s hard-won democratic consensus, built on the principles of memory, truth, and justice following decades of military dictatorship, is facing a concerted challenge. The governance of President Javier Milei, coupled with the influence of figures like Vice President Victoria villarruel, signals a risky shift in how the nation confronts its past - and a potential unraveling of the progress made towards accountability for human rights abuses.
The Symbolic Weight of “Never Again” and its Current Appropriation
The phrase “Nunca Más” – “Never Again” – became a powerful rallying cry in Argentina after the return to democracy in 1983, representing a solemn commitment to prevent the recurrence of state-sponsored terror. Prosecutor Julio Strassera’s closing statement during the 1985 Trial of the Juntas, deliberately echoing the collective memory of the Argentine people, cemented its significance. Though, this potent symbol is now being appropriated and arguably trivialized by the current political landscape.
Milei’s campaign imagery featuring “Never Again” alongside controversial figures isn’t simply a matter of political branding. It represents a deliberate attempt to redefine the slogan, stripping it of its historical context and aligning it with a revisionist narrative that downplays the atrocities committed during the dictatorship. This appropriation seeks to erase the meaning Kirchnerism imbued into the phrase, effectively attempting to rewrite the national understanding of the past.
The Revisionist Network: Villarruel, Famus, and the Denial of State Terrorism
Vice President Villarruel is central to this revisionist effort. Her long-standing advocacy for the actions of Familiares y Amigos de los Detenidos Desaparecidos por Subversión (Famus) – an organization that questioned the official narrative of state terrorism, often framing victims as terrorists – is deeply concerning. Villarruel and Carlos Manfroni, Patricia Bullrich’s Cabinet Chief, co-authored a book presented as a “CONADEP report of the victims of terrorism,” a claim that fundamentally misrepresents the work of the National Commission on Disappeared Persons (CONADEP), which meticulously documented the crimes of the dictatorship.
Famus actively sought to undermine CONADEP’s work by requesting reports on the “terrorist phenomenon,” effectively attempting to equate the actions of the state with those of the armed groups that initiated violence. Villarruel’s continued championing of this viewpoint raises serious questions about her commitment to truth and justice. The presence of figures linked to these views within Milei’s inner circle – including retired commissioner Maximiliano Bondarenko and José Luis Espert, who was favorably compared to a “human rights defender” by Judge Sandra Arroyo Salgado in a case involving Peronist militants – further underscores the depth of this network.
From Justice to Persecution: Shifting Priorities and Troubling Appointments
The current administration’s actions demonstrate a clear shift away from prioritizing human rights and accountability.The downgrading of the Secretariat of Human Rights,the marginalization of the National Archive of Memory (ANM),and the Museum Site ESMA,along with the dismissal of hundreds of workers dedicated to preserving these institutions,are not isolated incidents.They represent a systematic dismantling of the infrastructure designed to safeguard the memory of the dictatorship.
This shift extends to personnel choices. The potential appointment of Guillermo Montenegro, the current mayor of General Pueyrredón, as Minister of Justice is especially alarming.While Montenegro once presided over the trial of Jorge Rafael Videla for crimes against humanity under the Condor Plan and raised Reynaldo Bignone to trial for systematic child appropriation, his current focus on persecuting homeless people in Mar del Plata raises ethical concerns. His past actions, however, highlight the potential for internal contradictions within the administration, and the risk of a rollback on hard-won legal victories.
A Democratic Backlash and the Fight for the past
Despite the administration’s efforts, there has been resistance.The Chamber of Deputies’ rejection of Decree 351, which would have effectively intervened in the National Genetic data Bank (BNDG) – a crucial resource for the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo in identifying their stolen grandchildren – represents a significant victory for democratic forces. This decision signaled a limit to the government’s attempts to dismantle the mechanisms for seeking truth and justice.
However, the broader struggle continues. The underlying goal of Villarruel and Milei appears to be the erosion of the democratic consensus built on memory, truth, and justice. Their actions, and the network supporting them, pose a essential threat to Argentina’s ability to learn from its past and prevent the recurrence of atrocities. The