After the meeting alone that the president Alberto Fernandez had in his office at Casa Rosada with his partner from Brazil, Inacio Lula da SilvaBoth heads of state went to the Argentine Science Hall, also at Balcarce 50, where the Human Rights Organizations were waiting for them. At a long table were seated: stele of Carlotto, president of the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo; Taty Almeida and Nora Cortiñasof Mothers of Plaza de Mayo Founding Line; Lita Boitanoof Relatives; Adolfo Perez Esquivel, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and recovered grandchildren. There, the Brazilian conveyed his concern for protecting democracies and defending them, he told them that “progressivism has to be very united because the fascist right cannot advance in the region”, and that human rights organizations, hand in hand with Mothers and Grandmothers, are an example, and those that allow “democracies to be a little easier.” The unjust detention of Miracle Room was also on the table.
The organizations entered Casa Rosada before three in the afternoon, but the meeting with the presidents was only around five, when they vacated after the meeting they had with businessmen. As their agendas were delayed, the members of the different spaces thought that the meeting was going to be very brief, but none of that happened. They were talking very calm and relaxed for more than an hour. Upon entering the Women’s Room, Lula approached the table where they were waiting for him and went to the other end to give each and every one a hug. Estela de Carlotto introduced him to the two recovered grandchildren who were present, Leonardo Fossati and Manuel Gonçalves and he hugged them very affectionately and took a picture with them. When he began to speak he was very excited to meet the Mothers and Grandmothers and said that he was very happy to meet the grandchildren.
After a few words from the Argentine president, who said that he was not going to present them one by one because they all already knew each other, Taty took the floor; then Estela, Nora, and finally Pérez Esquivel. Beyond the dialogues that were generated outside the microphone, in the framework of what several participants called a meeting with good weather, Lula was in charge of closing.
The new president of Brazil vindicated the struggle of the Grandmothers and Mothers, and celebrated everything the country has achieved over the years in terms of human rights. He also said that he He wants exactly the same thing for Argentina that he wants for the Brazilian people: to end poverty.because it cannot be that in both countries there are people who are hungry, and stressed that happiness is shared, that one cannot be happy just because that ends and that, for this reason, Argentina and Brazil have to be more together than ever. He assured that he will fight the four years of his mandate to achieve that goal.
The organisms also expressed their concern about the situation of the social leader Milagro Sala, unjustly imprisoned in the province of Jujuy and demanded their freedom. Mention was made of the death of his son, Sergio Chorolque Salaand they reinforced something that they have already been asking Fernández for: the need to sign your pardon. There was no return from the leaders, who only listened attentively, and they said that the issue was ended by saying that “what you have to look for is really justice because the current situation is completely unfair.” They also discussed the problems that institutions are going through in Latin America and the crises that exist in several countries in the region with coup attempts.
The Grandmothers gave Lula and Janja a handkerchief of the organization and they were very happy and excited about the present. They told them that they liked the gesture very much and that once they arrived in Brazil they were going to hang it to always keep it in mind. Finally, Lula went around the table again, this time to take a general photo with everyone and with the iconic white scarf in her hands.
They also attended the meeting Buscarita Roa, of the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo; Hilda Clara de Wainstein and Carmen Vieyra de Abreu, from Mothers of Plaza de Mayo Founding Line; Ernesto Lejderman from Relatives of Detainees who have disappeared for political reasons, and Paula Donadío and Anabella Montaner, from Hijos.
Also part of the meeting were Verónica Torras and Paula Litvachky, from CELS; Eduardo Tavani and María Elena Naddeo, for the Permanent Assembly for Human Rights; Remo Carlotto and Andressa Caldas, from the Mercosur Institute for Public Policies on Human Rights; Héctor Trajtemberg and Carlos Zamorano, from the Argentine League for Human Rights; Gabriela Alegre and Marcelo Brodsky, from the Good Memory Association; Andrés Pérez Ezquivel, for SERPAJ, and Ernesto Alonso of the Provincial Commission for Memory.
In addition, Manuela Schuppisser and Adriana Sonia Taboada, from the North Zone Memory, Truth and Justice Commission; Beatriz Capdevila and Miguel Meira, from the Permanent Assembly for Human Rights of La Matanza; Adolfo Mango and Lucía Madina, from Relatives and Companions of the 12 of the Holy Cross, and Elsa Oshiro and Luis María Alman Bornes from the Ecumenical Movement for Human Rights.
