The latest edition of the book “La Patria Fusilada”, written by the journalist, poet, writer and militant Francisco “Paco” Urondo, which narrates the events that occurred during the “Trelew Massacre” in the voice of its three survivors, was presented in the Buenos Aires Press Union (SiPreBA), a few days after the 50th anniversary of this crime.
With his work, Urondo gathered the testimonies of Maria Antonia Berger, Alberto Miguel Camps and Ricardo Rene Haidarsurvivors of the executions perpetrated on August 22, 1972, where Navy personnel at the Almirante Zar base assassinated 16 militantswho days ago had been part of the escape from the Rawson prison.
“‘La Patria Fusilada’ was the first book, the first pages, that said something about my father, that I was able to hold in my hands,” said Camps’ daughter, Raquel, at the meeting.
In addition, she thanked all “the survivors” who helped her “do the reconstruction” of the history of her parents, who disappeared in the 1976 dictatorship, and celebrated “being able to be part of this testimony”, given that she wrote the prologue in this reissue of the book
“Sharing my words with those of my father and with his colleagues was a great honor,” he said.
The presentation organized by the press union at the Fratpen headquarters, located at 1158 Solís Street in the City of Buenos Aires, began after 6:30 p.m., and along with Camps were the editor of the new publication that is carried out by the Fund for Economic Culture, Daniel Riera; and by the editor of the first edition, made by Crisis in 1973, Vicente Zito Lema.
The former secretary general of SiPreBA and former political prisoner for 11 years, Fernando “Tato” Dondero, was also part of the talk.
“So, ‘La Patria Fusilada’ was my first relationship with my father alone,” Camps continued, recalling that in the first reading “I only read my father’s part, looking for a word for myself.”
“Later I read it completely and I realized such a testimony that was reflected there,” he reflected.
In addition, he said that the relatives of Trelew this year managed to “sit on a bench to give explanations” to the only person responsible for the massacre who had not been tried, former marine Roberto Bravo, who was finally convicted in a civil trial in the United States. Joined.
“When I heard the verdict (convicting Bravo) I felt that the Trelew 19 were there,” he said.
At the time, Daniel Riera vindicated Urondo’s “militant journalism” and considered that his book did not have an “artistic” claim, but rather a utilitarian purpose related to a political commitment: that the people know and that justice be done.
Urondo conducted the interview with the three survivors when they were detained in the Devoto Prison, during the night of May 24, 1973, a few hours before the amnesty that Congress was preparing, and the book was published in August of the same year.
“That urgency that the book has moves me a lot,” Riera highlighted the speed of Urondo’s work.
In the new edition, he commented that a section called “Trials” was added, where the trials against humanity that began in 2012 are reviewed, and a second chapter of “Los Caídos”, where he refers to Urondo’s conversation with the three survivors.
For his part, the editor of the first edition and defense attorney for the Trelew political prisoners, Vicente Zito Lema, stated that the publication of the book was carried out “in very complex circumstances.”
“Having seen how there were new reissues and that each time it gets richer, it makes me feel proud, of having been a humble part of that history,” he said.
Meanwhile, “Tato” Dondero pointed against “the official press” of those times and stressed that, however, “underground there was a movement from below, of information distribution”, when evaluating Urondo’s work.
The musician Peteco Carabajal opened and closed the day with a repertoire of songs that animated the meeting, which was broadcast live on the YouTube channel of the alternative media, La Retaguardia.
