Thirty-nine years after the coup, FALGBT marches throughout the country on the Day of Remembrance for Truth and Justice

On the occasion of the latest anniversary of the March 24, 1976, coup d’état—which marked the beginning of a period of terror, surrender of natural wealth, persecution and systematic violation of human rights—the Argentine LGBT Federation reaffirms its commitment to greater truth, remembrance, and justice, and to all rights that have still not been obtained. Furthermore, the organization remembers the disappearances of more than 600 LGBT detainees, victims of the military coup.

Thirty-nine years after the coup d’état that began on March 24, 1976, the Argentine LGBT Federation (FALGBT) expresses its commitment to building Remembrance for Truth and Justice.

Without a doubt, the coup of ‘76 initiated a process of foreign takeover, of surrender of national wealth, and of repression and horror that cost the lives of 30,000 disappeared detainees, more than 600 of whom belonged to the LGBT community.

The genocidal regime headed by Videla, Massera, and Agosti was especially cruel toward the LGBT community and applied the most horrible techniques of torture and harassment on transgender people especially.

Today, 39 years after that terrible moment, our country makes good progress in building a democracy that expands rights, recognizes freedoms, and restores dignity to its citizens.

The passages of the marriage-equality and gender-identity laws are clear examples of this progress. Nevertheless, the plot of the darkest night of our history remains to be understood. We must continue to make progress decisively and rapidly in the trial and punishment of the civil and military leadership of such state terrorism and the systematic plan of detention and forced disappearance that cost the lives of so many Argentines.

In addition, a deeper investigation into the violations specifically pertaining to state violence towards the LGBT community is yet to be undertaken.

For greater remembrance, for greater truth, and for greater justice, FALGBT will march—through its more than 60 affiliates throughout the country—along with human rights organizations to raise the flag of trial and punishment over the guilty, and for greater equality for our community and all Argentines.