The offspring of military officials convicted of crimes against humanity and genocide during Argentina’s dictatorship have urged voters not to back the far-right candidate Javier Milei in the imminent election, warning that the country’s very democracy is in danger.
In an open letter published ahead of the 19 November run-off between Milei and his centrist rival, Sergio Massa, the Historias Desobedientes (Disobedient Stories) collective voiced “great concern” that the rightwing radical and his running mate Victoria Villarruel had a chance of winning power.
To the outrage of victims of Argentina’s 1976-83 regime, Milei and Villarruel have made challenging the decades-long consensus over the dictatorship and questioning the number of victims a major part of their campaign.
“Milei and his vice-presidential candidate have spoken out against democracy on numerous occasions, denying the number of disappearances, calling crimes against humanity ‘excesses’, and accusing the Mothers and Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo – irrefutable pillars of our democracy – of being liars,” the group wrote in reference to the veteran campaigners who have spent years demanding answers about the deaths and disappearances of their loved ones.
An estimated 30,000 regime opponents were killed or disappeared during the dictatorship – nearly all of them unarmed civilians.
The letter by Disobedient Stories – which was created by the children of members of the dictatorship appalled by their parents’ crimes – claimed Milei’s plan for government was even more dangerous than the “blatant denialism” of his campaign.
“Milei seeks to implement the same plan as the dictatorship, he has the same political objective of annihilating all those he considers ‘lefty’,” the statement warned, claiming Milei would also shut down unions, destroy Argentina’s currency and cause hyperinflation.
“The democracy that cost us so much blood, sweat and tears is at risk,” the group added.
Analía Kalinec, the founder of Disobedient Stories, said democrats had no choice but to vote Massa, who is finance minister in Argentina’s current government.
“There’s no doubt we have to vote for Massa. It’s not a blank check, obviously, but he’s the only option of the two that guarantees the continuity of democracy,” said Kalinec, whose father was a regime torturer known as ‘Doctor K’.
“Milei on the other hand has no respect for human dignity and we have no doubt will put democracy in peril, he says openly that he feels superior to anyone who thinks different from him,” she added, calling Villarruel “a spokesperson for the genocidal mindset”.
With less than a fortnight until the run-off, polls indicate one of Argentina’s most important presidential elections since democracy returned in December 1983 is too close to call.
Before the October first round, Milei, an eccentric libertarian known for his foul mouth and radical proposals such as legalizing the sale of organs, was widely considered the frontrunner, having successfully harnessed public anger over the dismal state of Argentina’s economy.
However, the 53-year-old political outsider was unexpectedly pipped to first place by Massa, 51, who received 36.6% of votes to Milei’s 29.9%.
Massa’s win came despite the fact that as finance minister he has presided over one of Argentina’s worst economic slumps in decades, with four in 10 people living in poverty and annual inflation close to 140%.
Many experts believe Milei’s failure to win was the result of voters being scared off by the wild-haired politician’s radical ideas and erratic and aggressive style.
Juan Cruz Díaz, the managing director of the Buenos Aires-based consulting company Cefeidas Group, said it was impossible to predict what would happen when Massa and Milei faced off in 12 days’ time.
“It could really go either way. If any analyst tells you which of these guys will win they are probably overstating their analytical capabilities,” he said.
