Political and social leaders from different spaces and leaders of Human Rights paid tribute this Sunday to the deceased president of the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, Hebe de Bonafini, whom they defined as a “world symbol of struggle” and a “argentinian pride”.
From 11 o’clock, as soon as the news broke, a wide range of officials, leaders and militants from both the country and abroad spoke out to express their appreciation for Bonafini’s tireless work for human rights since the last law was established in the country. military dictatorship, which interrupted the democratic cycle between 1976 and 1983.
President Alberto Fernandezwho decreed three days of mourning, defined the leader as “a tireless fighter”.
With the departure of Hebe de Bonafini we lost a tireless fighter. Claiming truth and justice together with the Mothers and Grandmothers, she faced the genocidal when collective common sense went in another direction.
With great affection and sincere regret, I bid you farewell. See you forever Heb. pic.twitter.com/MfNoadWa0p
– Alberto Fernandez (@alferdez) November 20, 2022
“Demanding truth and justice together with the Mothers and Grandmothers, she confronted the genocidal when collective common sense went in another direction. With great affection and sincere regret, I dismiss her. Goodbye Hebe,” the president said through his social networks
the vice president Cristina Fernandez was one of the first to speak out, and defined the leader as a “world symbol of the fight for Human Rights and pride of Argentina”.
Dearest Hebe, Mother of Plaza de Mayo, world symbol of the fight for Human Rights, pride of Argentina. God called you on the day of National Sovereignty… it should not be a coincidence. Just thank you and always. pic.twitter.com/TVUfmywmAi
— Cristina Kirchner (@CFKArgentina) November 20, 2022
“Dearest Hebe, Mother of Plaza de Mayo, world symbol of the fight for Human Rights, pride of Argentina. God called you on National Sovereignty Day… it should not be a coincidence. Simply thank you and see you always,” said the vice president. from Twitter.
Meanwhile, the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo Founding Line said goodbye, they stressed that they were united with the historic leader by their “common and continuous task against forced disappearance and those responsible.”
“The Mothers of Plaza de Mayo Línea Fundadora and their support group place our hearts next to the aching hearts of all the Mothers in the face of the death of Hebe Bonafini. Our common and continuous task against forced disappearance and those responsible has not joined her. immediate and mediate, beyond any discrepancy,” the organization said in a statement.
“Continuing our fight is the best tribute we can pay him,” the organization stressed.
The Grandmothers of Plaza de MayoMeanwhile, they mourned the death of Bonafini, whom they considered a “sister in this fight for the disappearance of our children”.
? We regret the departure of Hebe de Bonafini, Mother of Plaza de Mayo, sister in this fight for the disappearance of our children. We hug her colleagues and family. Goodbye! pic.twitter.com/UzmlKy6oVs
– Grandmothers Plaza Mayo (@abuelasdifusion) November 20, 2022
The head of that organization, Carlotto’s Stelaaffirmed that “it is a very sad day for Argentina” and said that Bonafini will be missed because “People like that fill history”.
“I feel enormous sadness, of course we are not eternal, but we were companions for 46 years, with difficulties, differences, but united by the same pain and in the fight for justice, for the truth and to find answers”, evoked the leader.
For its part, the national network of SONS defined Bonafini as “the mother of all” and a “tireless companion who through her tenacity and consistency marked the path of the fight.”
“We learned to walk with Hebe and the Mothers, to fight for the impossible,” they said and added: “He never speculated, never betrayed, he always faced power, denouncing injustices and inequalities before any government.”
The Minister of the Interior, Eduardo “Wado” de Pedrothe son of the disappeared, expressed from his networks: “It is with immense sadness that we say goodbye to a Mother in a permanent fight for the defense of Human Rights. Thank you dear Hebe for your tireless rebellion, for your furious and popular militancy. We will miss you.”
In turn, the Defense Minister, Jorge Taianaexpressed: “Tireless fighter for Human Rights. The forced disappearance of two of her children led her to become a symbol of the fight for truth, justice and memory.”
“Dear old lady, only God knows how much I have loved you, what we have done together and the trail you leave behind. Nerve and engine of an endless fight, but without revenge. Fighter of a thousand battles whom God chose this day, the Sovereignty. May God bless you. My soul breaks,” said the Minister of Security, Hannibal Fernandez.
The Minister of Justice, martin soriahighlighted the “courage, dignity and tenacity” with which Bonafini faced the dictatorship.
“They set you up as one of the greatest promoters of our democracy and an inescapable reference for the consolidation of human rights. That is your enormous legacy for Argentines,” he stressed.
“Tireless fighter, with overwhelming strength and convictions of steel. Hebe was an inescapable beacon of Human Rights and politics in our country,” said the Minister of Public Works, Gabriel Katopodis.
The chancellor santiago cafiero He thanked Bonafini for his “tireless fight” and exclaimed from his networks: “Always until victory.”
“What pain the death of Hebe de Bonafini. Thanks to her courage and dignity, many mothers and grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo resisted the dictatorship and supported a path of memory, truth and justice. Universal symbol of the fight for human rights. It will be in the heart of the Argentine people”, stressed the Minister of Science, Daniel Filmus.
The Legal and Technical Secretary of the Presidency, vilma ibarraevoked the figure of the leader and stated that “in those dark years of fierce dictatorship, of kidnappings, torture and murders, all dignity, all resistance, began with Hebe. Thank you for your fight and for your immense courage,” he posted. in their networks.
Meanwhile, the deputy of the Frente de Todos (FdT) Leandro Santoro published: “The fight as a slogan. Life as a testimony. The handkerchief as a flag. Goodbye Hebe.”
“You lived in the truth, you will live in our hearts! Hebe infinite”, published the Minister of Development for the Buenos Aires Community, Andrés “Cuervo” Larroque.
Among the governors, the Santa Cruz Alice Kirchner defined: “Loyal like few others. You marked a mark that no one will be able to erase, the white handkerchiefs and those who fight for a sovereign Homeland, for the truth. Memory and justice embrace you.”
The Riojan president, Ricardo Quintelahighlighted that Bonafini “maintained the fight for Memory, Truth and Justice for many years” and that “we will remember her for her tireless struggle, for the defense of human rights and for her request for Nunca Más. We accompany her entire family.” .
“Hebe, comrade, Mother of the Plaza, unyielding fighter, you leave us on Sovereignty Day but you also leave us a path, that of Human Rights, that of the fight for a country for all, rest in peace Hebe, Mother of all, we will miss you,” said Sen. Oscar Parrilli.
At the international level, the former president of Bolivia Evo Morales He maintained that Bonafini’s “tireless and incorruptible fight against dictatorships for memory, truth and justice” is an “example for the new generations.”
Very sad and dismayed by the departure of Sister Hebe de Bonafini, historic, highly respected and beloved president of the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo. Her tireless and incorruptible fight against dictatorships for memory, truth and justice is an example for the new generations pic.twitter.com/V9K3iZXvu6
— Evo Morales Ayma (@evoespueblo) November 20, 2022
“Sister Hebe will live forever in the memory of the workers, indigenous peoples, committed leaders and social movements of the Great Homeland who march united with the flags in defense of human rights from Plaza de Mayo to the ends of the world”, highlighted the former Bolivian president.
For his part, Claudio Lozanofrom Popular Unity, evoked: “With her I shared the most difficult moments of our homeland, I saw her, almost without understanding how she did it, transform the brutal and eternal pain that the disappearance of her children in struggle entails.”
Meanwhile, the Soberanxs group defined Bonafini as a “world emblem of the struggle for Human Rights and the liberation of peoples. His example remains sown among us.”
From the SiprebaMeanwhile, they highlighted that Bonafini was “a maker of democracy thanks to the courageous and necessary construction of Memory, Truth and Justice. We remember your solidarity with our union. We embrace the Mothers and their families.”
