As I hoped, at least one excellent article has turned up on the result of the Uruguayan referendum which upheld the amnesty law known as the Ley de Caducidad. Although this blog opposes amnesty laws, it is interesting to note the opinions of those who chose to vote "no" to the annullment proposal.
Jeremias Elmasian, a hotelier in Uruguay who did not support the initiative, said over lunch on Saturday before the election that "we have to look to the future."
Gonzalo Aguirre Ramirez, a former senator and former vice president, said that annulling the amnesty law harmed legal stability and was "very dangerous." "Imagine if you get divorced and then you remarry. Then, the state annuls the marriage law and prosecutes you for bigamy. This is the path we're taking."... Aguirre Ramirez called the amnesty "a just solution. For 15 years it worked well. We amnestied the tupamaros" - the urban guerrilla group, which operated prior to and during the first years of the dictatorship - "and the military."
Others said that the amnesty was fair because political prisoners and guerrillas were amnestied as well. Marta Caraballo, a telephone center employee, said she did not vote for the law because "when you lose a war, you lose. We have to move on."
Uruguayan Voters Reject Chance to Prosecute Dictators (truthout)
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