Posted on March 24, 2019
Today's holiday in Argentina has a super sad basis: it honors victims of the "Dirty War," with its March 24, 1976, coup d'etat and around 30 thousand people "disappeared."
Almost all of the members of the military junta who participated in the government overthrow and who "disappeared" citizens are serving prison sentences for crimes against humanity and genocide.
The day is often marked by putting up pictures of the victims. There are generally ceremonies (like the 2016 one seen here). Sometimes there are huge protest demonstrations.
It's important to note that the bad guys in this coup were to some extent backed by the United States (the extent is still unknown, but surely someday all the documents will be declassified). At that time Gerald Ford was serving the remainder of Richard Nixon's term (Nixon resigned after the ongoing investigation of the Watergate scandal made his removal all but certain), and U.S. foreign policy was still way too involved with "we gotta end communism" and "we gotta meddle with everyone else."
What's special about Argentina?
Human-made treasures include a huge old theater that has been turned into one of the world's most beautiful bookstores...
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| El Ateneo Grand Splendid |
...and the Cave of Hands...
...and this amazing palace.
Natural treasures include this glacier...
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The Perito Moreno Glacier is one
of the only glaciers in the world that
is growing instead of shrinking!
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...of course the amazing Iguazu waterfalls!!...
...the entire region of Patagonia!...
...and these rocks sculpted by water and wind in - at the Valley of the Moon, Ischigualasto National Park!
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