Erasing the memory of the disappeared

The mothers of the disappeared march in Buenos Aires’ Plaza de Mayo in Argentina on March 12, 2026. Fifty years after the military dictatorship, Argentina’s government is defunding human rights groups and promoting a revisionist account of the junta’s crimes. (Sarah Pabst/The New York Times)

THE sprawling military compound in the heart of Buenos Aires where thousands of people were tortured and disappeared during Argentina’s military dictatorship half a century ago has become a memorial – a monument to the country’s commitment to truth and justice.

But deep cuts to the federal budget made by President Javier Milei after he took office three years ago have hobbled the memorial.