Argentines Demand Justice in Case of Disappeared Activist

On Monday afternoon, human rights defenders and social activists will hold an act in the Mayo Square in Buenos Aires to demand justice on the fifth anniversary of the murder of Santiago Maldonado.

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This young artisan disappeared in August 2017 when the police carried out a repressive operation in Chubut. Seventy-eight days later, his body was found lifeless. Despite the evidence of what happened, his case has been stalled in the Supreme Court since 2020.

The act in memory of Santiago will be headed by his brother Sergio Maldonado who will demand from Argentine authorities that this case of "forced disappearance" be fully clarified.

The call for the event is supported by organizations such as Mayo Square's Grandmothers, the founding line of the Mayo Square's Mothers, Relatives of Disappeared and Detained for Political Reasons, Permanent Assembly for Human Rights (APDH), Argentine League for Human Rights (LADH), and Center for Legal and Social Studies (CELS).

In May, information was leaked that supports the hypothesis that the young artisan was detained by police officers. According to the testimony, Santiago was transferred to a place at the ranch of the Italian tycoon Luciano Benetton, where he would have been assassinated.

Federal judge Daniel Rafecas, however, shelved the case initiated by Sergio Maldonado, who denounced that the Mauricio Macri administration was illegally spying on him after the disappearance of his brother.

On August 1, 2017, Santiago Maldonado and other members of the Mapuche community were taking part in a blockade at Route 40. He was arrested there and was found dead in the Chubut river on October 17.