Argentina: opposition wants expulsion of deputies who visited dictatorship torturers

Brasil de Fato

On Tuesday (20), a crowd gathered in front of the Argentine Congress, demanding the expulsion of six deputies who visited torturers convicted of crimes against humanity during the military dictatorship. They are all from La Libertad Avanza, President Javier Milei’s far-right party.   

With the slogan “Never again is never again, denialists deputies out of the National Congress,” the demonstrators called for the investigation and removal from the office of deputies Beltrán Benedit, Guillermo Montenegro, Alida Ferreyra, Lourdes Arrieta, María Fernanda Araujo and Rocío Bonacci, who visited the torturers on July 11.    

Vanessa Siley, a member of parliament from Unión por la Patria, Milei’s opposition party, said that the visit was part of a strategic plan to present a bill or decree signed by the president that would grant the release of the torturers.  

“We cannot allow deniers of the dictatorship to exist in the house of democracy,” said Gisela Marziotta, a member of parliament from Unión por la Patria, Milei’s opposition party, who demanded that the Argentine Chamber of Deputies sanction those who carried out the visit.   

On Friday (23), the Constitutional Affairs Committee of the Argentine Congress will consider whether to set up a committee to investigate the visit.    

Milei cancels trip to Mexico   

Milei has canceled his trip to Mexico next Friday, where he was to participate in a far-right political conference, CPAC. The suspension was because Milei would meet with agribusinessmen at the Rosario Stock Exchange. 

The Mexican President, Andres Manuel López Obrador, had already ruled out a meeting with the Argentine president. “I don’t agree with his way of thinking and his way of being,” said the Mexican on Tuesday, detailing his reasons for not receiving Milei.  

López Obrador and Milei have publicly expressed their differences since the Argentinians called the Mexicans “ignorant.” The Mexican President responded that he couldn’t understand “how the Argentinians, being so intelligent, voted for someone who despises the people.”