Human rights activist tortured and sexually abused by perpetrators invoking Milei, right before the anniversary of the last military coup

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A member of H.I.J.O.S (a civil society association representing children of those “disappeared” by the military dictatorship) was assaulted in her home by unknown persons and suffered death threats. This happened only days before the anniversary of the military coup of March 24, 1976, and one day after the Minister of Defense of Javier Milei’s government, Luis Petri, participated in an event with relatives and sympathizers of military officers convicted of crimes against humanity committed during Argentina’s civil-military dictatorship. The perpetrators stole materials from the organization and painted Milei’s campaign slogan on the victim’s wall. We reproduce the statement from the National H.I.J.O.S Network dated March 20, 2024:

“We denounce the political attack against our fellow H.I.J.O.S member whose identity we preserve, who was attacked by two individuals who were waiting for her inside her home, after forcing the door and entering illegally. She was tied up, beaten, and sexually abused. Our sister suffered death threats from her captors.

The attackers threatened her with firearms and clearly conveyed the message: “We didn’t come to rob you, we came to kill you. That’s what we get paid for.”

This attack on her life is a politically motivated assault, motivated by her human rights and feminist activism. Nothing of economic value was stolen, only folders with information about our group H.I.J.O.S.

The perpetrators of the incident painted the acronym “VLLC” (“Viva la libertad carajo”, “Long live fucking freedom”) on the wall.

This event has a clear correlation with the actions and hate speech that our country’s highest authorities express daily, inciting violence against those of us who campaign for Human Rights. From the National Network of HIJOS we demand the immediate clarification of the circumstances by the Judiciary and we hold the national government responsible for the event that occurred.

Days before another anniversary of the coup d’état, we affirm what our people said: Never Again (“Nunca Más”). Memory, Truth and Justice, always.”

H.I.J.O.S: Hijos por la Identidad y la Justicia contra el Olvido y el Silencio [Sons and Daughters (Children) for Identity and Justice against Oblivion and Silence]