Paraguay: Trucks of terror

Spanish paper El Mundo has an interesting piece on the camionetas del terror in Paraguay. I've written previously on that icon of the dictatorship in Argentina, the Ford Falcon. In Paraguay, apparently, the equivalent was the Chevrolet Custom 10 in red, as donated by the US and used to transport those picked up by the security forces to police stations, prisons, detention and torture centres. For many, it was the last vehicle they would ever sit in. A survivor of the dictatorship describes the fear provoked by the sight of the red trucks cruising the streets of Asunción.

Now one of them has been recovered and will be displayed outside the memory museum in the Paraguayan capital (Museo de las Memorias de Asunción).

Las camionetas del terror llegan al Museo de las Memorias de Paraguay (El Mundo)

Brazil: 50th anniversary of coup

Here is a round-up of some of the coverage of the 50th anniversary of the overthrow of Brazilian president Joao Goulart.

The BBC reports how current president Dilma Rousseff stressed the importance of remembering the coup, explaining "We owe this to those who died and disappeared, owe it to those who were tortured and persecuted, owe it to their families. We owe it to all Brazilians." It also provides a video on the "house of death" and how its sole survivor has been helping the truth commission to identify torturers. There are plans to turn the site into a memorial.

In addition, BBC Brasil's Pablo Uchoa recalls the story of his father, who was detained during the dictatorship. Inocencio was long reluctant to discuss his experiences but is now also helping the truth commission.

The day after the coup anniversary, Brazil's defence minister agreed to investigate military facilities where human rights abuses were believed to have been committed during the dictatorship, reports the New York Times.The news was revealed in a statement on the truth commission's website. It is a step forward against impunity, as also discussed by The Pan-American Post.

At the National Security Archive, Peter Kornbluh discusses attempts to achieve the declassification of U.S. documents on the covert operations that contributed to the Brazilian coup and argues that now is the time to use declassified U.S. historical records as a unique diplomatic tool.

Transitional Justice in Brazil provides a far fuller round-up than I have done...

Less democracy makes for an easier World Cup

This story is not new; the article is from April but I was just sent it by Erik Jennische and I couldn't let it pass. I don't recall it being picked up on too much at the time, but apologies if it was.

Too much democracy can be a hindrance when organizing a World Cup, FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said on Wednesday. ...
"When you have a very strong head of state who can decide, as maybe Putin can do in 2018...that is easier for us organizers than a country such as Germany....where you have to negotiate at different levels."
FIFA president Sepp Blatter then told the audience that he was relieved that hosts Argentina won the 1978 World Cup, which was held under an oppressive military government.
"I remember my first World Cup where I was directly involved was the one in Argentina and I would say I was happy Argentina won," he said.
"This was a kind of reconciliation of the public, of the people of Argentina, with the system, the political system, the military system at the time."

Well, I'm so happy for FIFA that they were able to organise the Argentina World Cup without the hassle of having to deal with all those people. How nice that a brutal authoritarian government smoothed the way for an international sporting event which took place while detainees were being held incognito and tortured just down the road.

By the way, see these two great posts from the Unredacted blog of the National Security Archive on Argentina '78. The first of them notes that human rights abuses did ease off during the time that the eyes of the world were on the country (which is not the same as saying that holding the tournament there was a good idea). The second details then-Secretary of State Henry Kissinger predicting that Argentina will win the World Cup and giving his support to the military junta:

We have followed events in Argentina closely. We wish the new government well. We wish it will succeed. We will do what we can to help it succeed.
We are aware that you are in a difficult period. It is a curious time, when political, criminal and terrorist activities tend to merge without any clear separation. We understand you must establish authority. 

Soccer: Less democracy makes for an easier World Cup - Valcke (Reuters)

Also. What Otto said. 

Chile/US: El Mercurio owner admits meeting with CIA

Agustín Eastman Edwards, owner of Chilean paper El Mercurio, has testified in court that he did meet with former CIA director Richard Helms and former U.S. National Security advisor Henry Kissinger shortly after the election of Salvador Allende. He is currently accused of complicity in the dictatorship. However, he denies receiving funding from the US intelligence agency to destabilise the Allende regime.

I actually wrote about this meeting back in 2008.

Owner of Chile’s El Mercurio admits pre-coup contact with CIA, denies cooperation (Journalism in the Americas)
Chilean media tycoon admits meeting with CIA ahead of coup (Santiago Times)
Agustín Edwards reconoce vínculos con la CIA en Estados Unidos pero niega haber recibido dineros de la agencia norteamericana (El Mostrador)

Brazil/US: Archive partnership

Brown University, the US National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), the National Archive of Brazil, and the State University of Maringá (UEM) have entered into a colloboration to digitise and make accessible declassified documents pertaining to U.S.-Brazilian relations from the 1960s, 70s and 80s. The documents will eventually be accessible via the internet to scholars around the world. The project is called "Opening the Archives" and involves students from the two universities.

Brown University, National Archives and Records Administration, and National Archive of Brazil Forge Partnership (Brown University Library News)
U. to help digitize diplomatic records (Brown Daily Herald)

Peru: US embassy warns of kidnap risk

The US embassy in Peru has warned its citizens of a possible risk of kidnap by "members of a criminal organisation" in the Cusco region. The organisation is apparently Shining Path remnants. Peru is irritated by the warning, concerned about a possible detrimental effect on tourism in the area.

Peru Objects to U.S. Embassy’s Warning to American Tourists (NY Times)
U.S. Embassy: ‘Credible’ Threat of Kidnapping in Cusco (Peruvian Times)

Premier: Alerta de EE.UU. sobre posibles secuestros no ha sido corroborada (La Republica)
Embajadora de EE.UU. sobre alerta de secuestro en Cusco: "Queremos levantarla lo antes posible" (La Republica)

Peru/US: Oscar Medrano exhibition

An exhibition of the work of Peruvian photojournalist Oscar Medrano has just opened in New York.

Medrano is a longstanding photographer for Caretas magazine and took one of the best-known pictures of the Peruvian conflict, which I wrote about here.

In this exhibit the author shows some pictures of wives, mothers and daughters who suffered the loss of their loved ones, as well as orphaned children, members of self-defense committees (ronderos) that emerged during the years of political violence. The author went to places almost inaccessible in Peru after the terrorist attacks such as the towns of Lucanamarca and Huaychau. The image of the wounded face of Edmundo Camana Sumari, one of the seven survivors of the slaughter of Lucanamarca became famous for his photo with a bandaged head covering his eye. 

 His work can be seen at the Instituto Cervantes, but only until 31 July, for those who are in NYC.

Thanks to Perufoto for drawing my attention to this.

Argentina: US knew about stolen babies

Former US diplomat Elliot Abrams has stated that the country was aware that the Argentine junta was illegally giving up the children of disappeared people for adoption. Testifying by video conference from Washington at a trial in Buenos Aires, he said

"We knew that it wasn't just one or two children". There must have been some sort of directive from a high level official, he suggested: "a plan, because there were many people who were being murdered or jailed."

Groups like the Grandmothers have seized on this because they have long argued that there was a systemic plan to appropriate children, it was not merely a couple of corrupt officials or a spontaneous decision.

He said he suggested to the junta's ambassador to Washington, Lucio Alberto Garcia del Solar, that the dictatorship could improve its image by creating a process sponsored by the Roman Catholic Church to return the children to their rightful families. But he said the ambassador told him Bignone had spurned the idea.

Abrams' testimony has also sparked further calls for the US to declassify all documents relating to the Argentine dictatorship, which could shed further light on the crimes committed.

Ex-diplomat: US knew about Argentina baby thefts (CBS)
US was aware of Argentine military “systematic plan to steal babies born in captivity” (Mercopress)
Un secreto a voces para la diplomacia norteamericana (Pagina/12)

News round-up

Argentina/US
Obama asked to declassify documents on children’s disappearance in Argentina (Mercopress)
Congressman to Obama: Declassify Argentina files (AP)
And here's the official website of Congressman Maurice Hinchey

Colombia
Colombia: Spy Agency Dissolved (New York Times)
Forced Disappearances in Colombia (COHA)

Guatemala
The Guatemalan Government’s Apology for the 1954 Coup (Americas Quarterly)
Guatemalan journalist receives threats after reporting on forced disappearances (Journalism in the Americas)
Mejia too sick to stand trial (Central American Politics)

Guatemala: President Colom apologises

Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom has apologised to the family of former President Jacobo Arbenz who was ousted in a 1954 coup backed by the United States. Arbenz died in exile in 1971.

Colom announced on Thursday that he will name a federal highway after Arbenz, notes the Associated Press. Not to make light of an absolutely serious issue, but that does seem a slightly odd tribute.

The New York Times, which calls the ceremony "muted", takes the opportunity to remind readers of a little of the history surrounding the Guatemalan coup.

The Eisenhower Administration painted the coup as an uprising that rid the hemisphere of a Communist government backed by Moscow. But Mr. Arbenz’s real offense was to confiscate unused land owned by the United Fruit Company to redistribute under a land reform plan and to pay compensation for the vastly understated value the company had claimed for its tax payments.

Arbenz's grandson also said that the family would like an apology from the US for its role in the coup.

Guatemala apologizes to ex-president's family (AP)
An Apology for a Guatemalan Coup, 57 Years Later (New York Times)

Mike from Central American Politics has also blogged on the issue and rightly points out that such state apologies are no replacement for real responsibility-taking by the perpetrators. Of course, I agree, and a "sorry" in itself is not justice. However, I always like to note these steps taken and I find the public engagement with memory issues interesting - even further afield, if you think of examples like the NY Times.

News Round-Up

Argentina

President of the Grandmothers, Estela de Carlotta, has had a crucial day in court testifying about the disappearance and murder of her daughter. She has not yet found her disappeared grandchild.
Argentine rights leader testifies about daughter (AP)

Juan Peron is a lasting icon in his home country.
Argentina's Peron follows Che, goes commercial (AFP)

Argentina's last dictator, Reynaldo Bignone, has been sentenced to life in prison for crimes against humanity (he was already jailed for other crimes).
Argentina's last dictator gets life in prison (AFP)
Argentine de facto president following Falklands’ war defeat sentenced to life imprisonment (Mercopress)

Brazil

Relatives of former Brazilian president Joao Goulart have taken heart from the example of Chile, where the authorities are to reinvestigate the death of president Salvador Allende. Goular died in 1976 in Argentina, and his family suspect that he may have been poisoned by agents working as part of Operation Condor.
Investigation on Allende's death gives hope to relatives of former Brazilian leader (Mercopress)

Chile

Chile is to exhume the body of Salvador Allende again. His family still tend to believe that he did commit suicide, but they are going along with the renewed investigation.
Aiming to end a mystery, Chile will exhume Allende (AFP)

Colombia

A detailed article about the "false positives" scandal in Colombia, and the Mothers of Soacha group which is fighting for justice.

"The government say human rights lawyers pay us to say this, that we are liars, that we collaborate. But they are the liars. We respect the state, but we reject their criminal actions. I swear to you that this is true."

The devastation of Colombia's civil war (The Guardian)

El Salvador

A former defense minister of El Salvador, Eugenio Vides Casanova, is undergoing trial to decide if he will be deported from the US to El Salvador to face charges of torture
Torture trial starts for ex-El Saldavor official (AP)

Peru

A former Peruvian prime minister, Juan Carlos Hurtado, has given himself up after spending the last decade in hiding. Hurtado went into hiding in 2000 over corruption allegations during the Fujimori administration.
Wanted ex-prime minister turns himself in after 10 years in hiding (Peruvian Times)

United States

The US denies entry to a German journalist, Gabriele Weber, who specialises in South American human rights issues.
US denies visa to German investigative journalist (AP)
Children thefts in Argentina: German investigative journalist barred from the US (Mercopress)

Chile: Obama's visit (2)

So, here's an update on how Obama's trip to Chile turned out. As expected, there was no apology, but Obama did say that would consider requests for US information regarding the deaths of Salvador Allende and another former Chilean president, Eduardo Frei Montalva, who died in suspicious circumstances in 1982.

Piñera responded that he would formally request the intelligence material on the matters. He also stressed the "equality" of the relationship between the two countries. To be frank, I don't imagine for a second that Obama sees Chile as an equal to the US, but I do agree that a great deal of progress has been made. A prompt request for any classified documents which could shed light on the Frei and Allende cases, and a swift reponse to this, would be another positive step.

Obama cites Latin Americans as examples for others (NY Times)

Frei Montalva, Allende's predecessor, was a leading Pinochet critic when he died in 1982 after hernia surgery in what many people consider mysterious circumstances.

Pinochet agents allegedly hung his body from a ladder, drained it of fluids and removed organs. Six people were charged last year in an alleged poisoning of Frei Montalva and a cover-up, but the judge in the case has failed to get formal support from the governments of Chile and the U.S. for uncensored files and other evidence.

Frei's son Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle, a former center-left president who lost to Pinera last year, met briefly with Obama on Monday. Chilean media quoted him as saying that he personally asked for help solving his father's murder and that Obama promised to cooperate.

Pinera's government formally supported the Frei investigation this year after a leaked U.S. Embassy cable suggested the case would never be solved.

Obama says US ready to help Chile in rights cases (AP)
US ready to help Chile solve human rights crimes but no apology for 1973 events (Mercopress)

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera said Tuesday that he'll accept President Barack Obama's invitation to formally request classified U.S. intelligence documents that may identify Chilean agents responsible for more than 1,200 human rights violations during the Pinochet dictatorship.

Pinera made this pledge — his most specific yet on Chile's unresolved human rights cases — during an interview with The Associated Press in which he described Obama's visit as a validation of his country's regional leadership and rejected complaints that it was short on concrete results.

[...]"If there's information that a friendly government such as the United States can provide to us, that advances the speed and strength of Chilean justice, of course we're going to ask for it," Pinera said.

AP Interview: Chile president to ask for CIA files (AP)

Chile: Obama's visit

US president Barack Obama and his family are spending the day in Chile, causing some to wonder if Obama will take the opportunity to discuss the country's past, and the States' role in it. Errrr, I think it's unlikely. Nevertheless, several hundred people are reported to be protesting, demanding that Obama apologise for the US interference which paved the way for Pinochet taking power.

Chile protesters want Obama to apologize for CIA encouragement of Pinochet dictatorship (Washington Post)

In a comment piece in the Los Angeles Times, Chilean writer Ariel Dorfman calls on the US president to prioritise the victims of what he calls "the defining experience of Chile's recent history". Dorfman points out,

A scant seven blocks from the presidential palace, La Moneda, where [Obama] is to be feted by President Sebastián Piñera, 120 researchers are busy all day long compiling a conclusive list of Pinochet's victims so that final amends and compensation can be made.

He suggests,

If Obama prefers places to people, he could acquaint himself with Villa Grimaldi, a former torture house turned into a center for peace, or devote 10 minutes to the Museum of Memory, where exhibits recall the darkest days of Chile's history.

He could even, writes Dorfman, visit Allende's grave.

Ghosts of Chile (LA Times)

The Miama Herald also notes that "some are wondering what he won't say".

Obama has busy schedule during Chile stop (Miami Herald)

I don't expect to see this visit straying from its official schedule, but at least the issue of memory, and the legacy of the Pinochet dictatorship, is being raised in the mainstream US media, so in that sense, what Obama isn't saying is being said quite loudly.

Uruguay: New Info in Mitrione Case

Bloomberg reports that newly declassified documents show the Nixon administration urging Uruguay to consider all options, including "use of threat to kill" key leftist prisoners in an attempt to prevent the murder of Daniel Mitrione.

Mitrione was kidnapped on 31 July, 1970, by Tupamaros guerrillas and found dead on 9 August. He was a director for the US Agency for International Development in Uruguay and a former policeman and FBI agent. A. J. Langguth claimed in this book Hidden Terrors that Mitrione taught torture to the Uruguayan security forces. I say this not to justify his killing, but to point out once again the role of the US in the military dictatorships of Latin America. His story inspired the 1973 film State of Siege, directed by Costa Gavros.

Carlos Osorio, director of the National Security Archives, has called for full declassification in both the US and Uruguay to shed further light on the case.

Nixon Official Asked Uruguay to Threaten Rebels, Cable Says (Bloomberg)
To Save Dan Mitrione, Nixon Administration Urged Death Threats for Uruguayan Prisoners (NSA; where you can also download PDFs of the declassified documents)

Colombia: US Funding, Increased Civilian Murders

Several media sources have picked up on a study by the Fellowship on Reconciliation and the U.S. Office on Colombia which has found that Colombian army units which receive U.S. military funding have committed more extrajudicial executions of civilians.

The extrajudicial executions reviewed by the FOR/USOC report are mostly cases in which military units have killed civilians in order to inflate the body count of guerrillas they have supposedly killed in action. “The majority of cases we are analyzing are not misidentifications,” said John Lindsay-Poland of the FOR, but rather the deliberate targeting of civilians. “Success” in the anti-guerrilla fight is measured by kills, says Lindsay-Poland. “It is not about whether there is greater security for civilians or whether there is justice in the country.” [NACLA]

In other words, these are the so-called "false positive" cases.

This is a deeply concerning report which also raises questions about the legality of U.S. financial support in Colombia.

The report [...] studies the application in Colombia of the so-called Leahy Law, passed in 1996, which bans military assistance to a foreign security force unit if the U.S. State Department has credible evidence that the unit has committed gross human rights violations.

The Leahy Law is one of the main U.S. laws designed to protect against the use of U.S. foreign aid to commit human rights abuses.

"If the Leahy Law was fully implemented, assistance would have to be suspended to nearly all fixed army brigades and many mobile brigades in Colombia," Lindsay-Poland said. [IPS]

Report Suggests "Correlation" between U.S. Aid and Army Killings (IPS)
Plan Colombia Linked to Increased Military Abuses (NACLA)
Colombia: US Military Aid May Have Sparked Civilian Killings (truthout)

You can also read the full report here.

Peru Round-up

1)
U.S. State Department offers reward for Shining Path leaders (Peruvian Times)
US offers up to $5 million for Peru's "Artemio" and "Jose" (Living in Peru)
Here are the official wanted pages for Artemio (real name Florindo Eleuterio Flores Hala) and Jose (real name Victor Quispe Palomino).

2)
Guilt, repentance and innocence: Lori Berenson and her baby might be going back to prison (Peruvian Times)
The English-language media has largely moved on, but legal wranglings over Berenson's future continue.

3)
Tejen Chalina de la Solidaridad por las Victimas de la Violencia (CNDDHH)
"Ellas tejen para no olvidar a sus seres queridos" (La Republica, via APRODEH)

A group of indigenous women has been knitting a giant scarf as a visual symbol of their struggle for justice and memory of their relatives, who were lost in the political violence. I find the combination of the homely act of knitting with human rights activism quite striking, and somewhat analogous to the mothers of the Plaza de Mayo in Argentina, who have also spoken of their leaving the private space of the home to struggle in public.

4)
Finally, from Jo-Marie Burt,
Reflexiones, a 18 años de La Cantuta (Noticias Ser)

Peru: Lori Berenson

A selection of coverage of Lori Berenson's release:

Lori Berenson in Peru: A Story of Lobbying (Living in Peru)

Lori Berenson to be released on parole after 15 years (IPS)

American Lori Berenson freed from Peruvian prison after 15 years (LA Times blog; this article calls Berenson an activist and places the word terrorist in quotes, as if it is an unfounded accusation. I find it very interesting to consider this in context of the disgust shown in the American media when, for example, convicted Hamas members are released to scenes of celebration. Yet Berenson was convicted in a democracy - in her retrial - and has not distanced herself from the activities of the MRTA)

US terror convicts freed in Peru after 15 years (AFP)

U.S. citizen Berenson freed from prison in Peru (Reuters)

NY woman who aided Peru rebels free after 15 years (AP)

Peru's executive to look at proposals to expel US citizen Berenson (Peruvian Times)

Guatemala/US: Hope for Dos Erres Deportations

Cristales, one of only two known survivors of the massacre, saw his entire family murdered. He said he was frustrated it has taken so long for the men to be brought to justice. But he said he hoped U.S. and Guatemalan officials might work together to make that happen.

“They have to do something... The only thing I ask is justice,” said Cristales, who is now hiding in an undisclosed location.

The Global Post has produced a detailed report on investigation into Guatemalan perpetrators of human rights abuses who are now living in the US. There is now some hope that four men may be convicted of immigration offences and eventually deported to Guatemala where they could face further charges relating to the notorious massacre at Los Dos Erres in 1982.... yes, I know. That's not exactly a foregone conclusion. But honestly, ladies and gentlemen, click through and look at the photos with this article of the mass graves and the waiting relatives. They say more about the necessity of thorough investigations than words ever could.

Although, on the subject on words, it is worth remembering former President Reagan's assessment of Guatemalan dictator Rios Montt as

“a man of great personal integrity…[who] wants to improve the quality of life for all Guatemalans and to promote social justice.”

Right. In a further piece of astute social commentary,

Reagan said that Rios Montt had received a “bum rap” from human rights groups.

Poor guy.

US rounds up Guatemalans accused of war crimes (Global Post)

Argentina/US: Intelligence Files Move

Argentina has welcomed a vote by the US House of Representatives to force intelligence agencies to reveal information they may have on dictatorship-era human rights abuses. It's early days, but:

If approved by the US Senate and President Barack Obama, the measure could provide key evidence for human rights trials under way in Argentina and possibly help some 400 families find children who were stolen at birth from women who were kidnapped and killed by the dictatorship, according to Argentina's ambassador to the U.S., Hector Timerman.

(Ambassador Timerman, of course, has a personal interest in such matters).

US House Approves Sharing Spy Files on Argentina (NY Times)

News Round-Up

Argentina
Former Argentine leader Menem indicted for graft (AFP)

Guatemala
NGOs Urge President Colom to release military archives (WOLA)
Awaiting sentence in forced disappearance case (Naty en Guate)
Historic first sentence against former member of Guatemalan military for crime of forced disappearance (Naty en Guate)
Plan Sofia 82 is handed over (Naty en Guate)
Rights courts condemns Guatemala in 1983 massacre (AP)

Panama
Twenty Years After US Invasion, Panama Still in Search of a Body Count (truthout)

Peru
Peruvian Police Identify Commander of Resurgent Shining Path Guerrilla Group (Americas Quarterly)