Sunday 10 February 2013

Argentine torturer detained in Brazil

61-year-old Gonzalo Sánchez, an Argentine accused of human rights abuses, has been detained in Brazil. He is accused of participating in torture and murder at the ESMA during the dictatorship.

Sánchez, also known as "Chispa" or "Omar", is said to have been involved in the murder of prominent author Rodolfo Walsh and is wanted in around 70 cases. Pagina/12 reports that he told detainees in the ESMA the methods used to kill and dispose of the disappeared, including the "death flights". The media do not seem quite in agreement about his precise position - Pagina/12 is saying he worked as a naval engineer, while El Liberal says he was a police officer. As he was in the ESMA, I'd guess the former is correct, but obviously I can't be sure.

Gabriel Herrera from the Argentine embassy in Brazil told Folha that Sánchez was one of the main fugitives from Argentina. He added, without giving their names, that there were at least four other people in Brazil accused of involvement in dictatorship crimes.

Un prófugo hallado en una playa brasileña (Pagina/12)
Detienen a represor argentino en Brasil (El Liberal)
Argentino acusado de sequestro e tortura é preso em Angra (Folha de S.Paulo)

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