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| Obama admits US 'too slow' to condemn atrocities of Argentina's dictatorship | Obama admits US 'too slow' to condemn atrocities of Argentina's dictatorship |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Barack Obama has said the United States was too slow to condemn human rights atrocities after Argentina’s military coup in 1976, but stopped short of apologizing for Washington’s initial support for the military dictatorship. | Barack Obama has said the United States was too slow to condemn human rights atrocities after Argentina’s military coup in 1976, but stopped short of apologizing for Washington’s initial support for the military dictatorship. |
| Related: In Argentina, mothers of 'disappeared' protest Obama's marking of 1976 coup | Related: In Argentina, mothers of 'disappeared' protest Obama's marking of 1976 coup |
| Speaking at a ceremony to mark the 40th anniversary of the coup which ushered in seven years of violence, Obama said: “Democracies have to have the courage to acknowledge when we don’t live up to the ideals that we stand for. And we’ve been slow to speak out on human rights and that was the case here.” | Speaking at a ceremony to mark the 40th anniversary of the coup which ushered in seven years of violence, Obama said: “Democracies have to have the courage to acknowledge when we don’t live up to the ideals that we stand for. And we’ve been slow to speak out on human rights and that was the case here.” |
| Obama and Argentina’s president Mauricio Macri threw white flowers into the brown waters of the wide Río de la Plata from the imposing overhanging pier of the Parque Memorial. The park on the coastline of Buenos Aires commemorates the thousands of victims of Argentina’s dictatorship, many of whom were made to “disappear” by being pushed alive from military planes into the waters of the Río Plata and of the south Atlantic Ocean. | Obama and Argentina’s president Mauricio Macri threw white flowers into the brown waters of the wide Río de la Plata from the imposing overhanging pier of the Parque Memorial. The park on the coastline of Buenos Aires commemorates the thousands of victims of Argentina’s dictatorship, many of whom were made to “disappear” by being pushed alive from military planes into the waters of the Río Plata and of the south Atlantic Ocean. |
| Several of the country’s most prominent human rights groups, including the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo association, boycotted the event. | Several of the country’s most prominent human rights groups, including the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo association, boycotted the event. |
| “First the US encouraged the killing, then they scolded Argentina for carrying it out,” said 86-year-old Nora Cortiñas, whose son was “disappeared” by the regime. “There’s no way we would go meet Obama.” | “First the US encouraged the killing, then they scolded Argentina for carrying it out,” said 86-year-old Nora Cortiñas, whose son was “disappeared” by the regime. “There’s no way we would go meet Obama.” |
| Leftwing demonstrators burned American flags and held up signs reading “Obama go home” during a massive march on the Plaza de Mayo in front of the presidential palace.The US president’s name was met with loud booing and whistling by the crowd of thousands when spoken by Estela Carlotto, leader of the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo.“The US played a part in the crimes against human rights crimes committed in the region,” Carlotto said. “Now the president of the US has announced, 40 years after the fact, that they will declassify archives of the dictatorship, we hope he keeps the promise.” | |
| Activists in Argentina remain bitter over a meeting in 1976 between former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger and admiral César Guzzetti, foreign minister of Argentina’s regime. Kissinger advised the admiral to move swiftly against left-wing opponents. “The quicker you succeed, the better,” said Kissinger, according to US diplomatic documents declassified in 2002. | Activists in Argentina remain bitter over a meeting in 1976 between former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger and admiral César Guzzetti, foreign minister of Argentina’s regime. Kissinger advised the admiral to move swiftly against left-wing opponents. “The quicker you succeed, the better,” said Kissinger, according to US diplomatic documents declassified in 2002. |
| Related: Smiles all around after Obama's Cuba visit – but which side got more out of it? | Related: Smiles all around after Obama's Cuba visit – but which side got more out of it? |
| In an effort to soothe over those bitter memories, Obama Thursday emphasized the human rights policies of former US president Jimmy Carter, who placed an arms embargo on Argentina and pushed the country’s generals to put an end to atrocities. | In an effort to soothe over those bitter memories, Obama Thursday emphasized the human rights policies of former US president Jimmy Carter, who placed an arms embargo on Argentina and pushed the country’s generals to put an end to atrocities. |
| In August 1977, then state secretary Cyrus Vance personally delivered a list of 7,000 “desaparecidos” compiled with the help of the US embassy in Buenos Aires to Argentina’s dictator, general Jorge Videla. | In August 1977, then state secretary Cyrus Vance personally delivered a list of 7,000 “desaparecidos” compiled with the help of the US embassy in Buenos Aires to Argentina’s dictator, general Jorge Videla. |
| Obama referred to the work compiling such lists by retired US diplomat F Allen “Tex” Harris, who flew to Buenos Aires with Obama and was present at Thursday’s ceremony. Obama underlined how Harris “worked in the US embassy here to document human rights abuses and identify the disappeared”. | Obama referred to the work compiling such lists by retired US diplomat F Allen “Tex” Harris, who flew to Buenos Aires with Obama and was present at Thursday’s ceremony. Obama underlined how Harris “worked in the US embassy here to document human rights abuses and identify the disappeared”. |
| Also present at Obama’s invitation was British journalist Robert Cox, former editor of the Buenos Aires Herald, a British-community newspaper that saved lives by publishing the cases of missing persons who were subsequently released by the military. | Also present at Obama’s invitation was British journalist Robert Cox, former editor of the Buenos Aires Herald, a British-community newspaper that saved lives by publishing the cases of missing persons who were subsequently released by the military. |
| “Bob Cox bravely reported on human rights abuses despite threats,” said Obama. | “Bob Cox bravely reported on human rights abuses despite threats,” said Obama. |
| The US president reiterated his announcement here Wednesday that the US will soon declassify additional records relating to Argentina’s dictatorship, including “for the first time military and intelligence records, because I believe we have a responsibility to confront the past with honesty and transparency.” | The US president reiterated his announcement here Wednesday that the US will soon declassify additional records relating to Argentina’s dictatorship, including “for the first time military and intelligence records, because I believe we have a responsibility to confront the past with honesty and transparency.” |
| Obama arrived in Argentina from Havana where he became the first sitting US president to visit Cuba in 88 years. The tour comes amid a wider push to reset the United States’ relationship with Latin America. | Obama arrived in Argentina from Havana where he became the first sitting US president to visit Cuba in 88 years. The tour comes amid a wider push to reset the United States’ relationship with Latin America. |
| Obama will spend Thursday afternoon in the southern lake resort of Bariloche, where he will be joined by Macri, before flying back to the US around midnight. |