Social organizations in Argentina mobilized this Sunday in Buenos Aires to demand justice for the “Avellaneda Massacre”, in which two young people died as a result of police repression during a protest 20 years ago.
For the second consecutive day, the marches and rallies took place between the Pueyrredón bridge -one of the access points to the Argentine capital- and the city of Avellaneda, where Maximiliano Kosteki and Darío Santillán were shot down by the Police on June 26, 2002. in the midst of popular protests against the social and economic crisis that Argentina was going through.
Due to the fact, two former police officers from the province of Buenos Aires were sentenced to life imprisonment and another six sentenced to lesser sentences, but the social organizations, grouped under the Union of Workers of the Popular Economy (UTEP), continue to demand that the Justice political leaders are condemned.
“The political leaders remain unpunished to this day. The judicial cases are not advancing, we have already presented 14 witnesses to give testimonial statements, where they have described particular situations related to the orders for that repressive day”, indicated the social groups during the reading of a document.
For his part, Darío’s brother, Leo Santillán, claimed that the crime was committed by the State and should be investigated.
“For 20 years we have continued to demand the trial and punishment of all political leaders, denouncing that the ‘Avellaneda Massacre’ is a state crime and must be investigated,” said Leo Santillán, speaking to the TN television channel.
“There was an order and planning that came from the government of Eduardo Duhalde with all his officials,” said the brother of the murdered militant.
During the year the crime was committed, the then transitional president of Argentina, Eduardo Duhalde (2002-2003), ruled.
Social organizations also targeted the current Argentine Security Minister, Aníbal Fernández – who at that time held the position of Secretary General of the Presidency – and former Foreign Minister Felipe Solá, who was governor of the province of Buenos Aires (2002-2007).
“AVELLANEDA MASSACRE”
The “Avellaneda Massacre” happened during popular protests against the social, political and economic crisis that Argentina was going through.
A column of demonstrators with the intention of crossing the Pueyrredón bridge towards the Argentine capital was intercepted by a division of riot police from the Province of Buenos Aires who blocked their way.
The commissioner in charge of the operation at the time, Alfredo Fanchiotti, told them that they had to clear the area immediately, but soon police gunshots began to be heard against the crowd.
People began to run in the opposite direction towards different streets in the city of Avellaneda, however, one of the shots – which contained lead pellets – hit the back of 22-year-old Maximiliano Kosteki, who collapsed on the ground.
A group of militants took him into a train station to try to assist him, when a group of police officers led by Fanchiotti are present, all of them escape except for 21-year-old Darío Santillán, who remains on his back and crouches next to Kosteki. .
The Police open fire and execute Santillán, then drag him through the lobby of the place and leave his body lying in front of a kiosk.
Former commissioner Alfredo Fanchiotti and former corporal Alejandro Acosta were sentenced to life imprisonment in 2006 after being found guilty of double homicide aggravated by treachery and seven attempted murders, according to the Justice ruling.
During the confrontation, 90 people were injured and more than 150 were detained.
After this episode and with the crisis on the rise, Duhalde advanced the presidential elections by six months, to April 27, 2003.
