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Pope's South American tour recalls a divided church – and a dirty war Pope's South American tour recalls a divided church – and a dirty war
(about 3 hours later)
Angela “Lita” Boitano was standing about 50 meters away from her daughter Adriana when a car pulled up alongside carrying a group of men who she later learned were Argentinian military policemen dressed as civilians. Angela “Lita” Boitano was standing about 50 meters away from her daughter Adriana when a car pulled up carrying a group of men who she later learned were Argentinian military policemen dressed as civilians.
They grabbed the 24-year-old Adriana and bundled her into the car before speeding away. Lita never saw her daughter again. It was the second time tragedy had befallen Boitano: a year earlier, in 1976, her 20-year old son, Michelangelo, had disappeared on his way home. They grabbed 24-year-old Adriana and bundled her into the car before speeding away. Lita never saw her daughter again. It was the second time tragedy had befallen Boitano: a year earlier, in 1976, her 20-year old son, Michelangelo, had disappeared on his way home.
As many as 30,000 people are thought to have joined the ranks of Argentina’s desaparecidos, the term used for political opponents of Argentina’s 1976-83 dictatorship who were kidnapped, tortured for information and then made to vanish.As many as 30,000 people are thought to have joined the ranks of Argentina’s desaparecidos, the term used for political opponents of Argentina’s 1976-83 dictatorship who were kidnapped, tortured for information and then made to vanish.
For Boitano, the loss of her two children not long after she was widowed in 1968 transformed her into an activist, a role she still plays today, at the age of 83.For Boitano, the loss of her two children not long after she was widowed in 1968 transformed her into an activist, a role she still plays today, at the age of 83.
“The strength to live came from our children – to search for them in the hope that they would be alive. Because I was left with nobody,” she told the Guardian.“The strength to live came from our children – to search for them in the hope that they would be alive. Because I was left with nobody,” she told the Guardian.
That search has taken her all the way inside the halls of the Vatican, where, she believes, meticulous files have been kept about the people who disappeared. These files were principally collected through the papal nuncio’s office in Buenos Aires at the time, where victims’ families would file written complaints about the disappearances.That search has taken her all the way inside the halls of the Vatican, where, she believes, meticulous files have been kept about the people who disappeared. These files were principally collected through the papal nuncio’s office in Buenos Aires at the time, where victims’ families would file written complaints about the disappearances.
South America’s bloody history with military dictatorship will return to the spotlight on Wednesday when Pope Francis touches down in Bolivia, where he is expected to pray at the site where the body of a Jesuit priest, Father Luís Espinal, was found in 1980 after he was kidnapped, tortured and killed by paramilitaries.South America’s bloody history with military dictatorship will return to the spotlight on Wednesday when Pope Francis touches down in Bolivia, where he is expected to pray at the site where the body of a Jesuit priest, Father Luís Espinal, was found in 1980 after he was kidnapped, tortured and killed by paramilitaries.
The murder was met with outrage and marked a turning point from the country’s history of dictatorships to democracy. “It was the beginning of the democracy that we continue having in Bolivia,” Father Xavier Albo told the Catholic news site The Pilot, “with all the ups and downs that democracies have.”The murder was met with outrage and marked a turning point from the country’s history of dictatorships to democracy. “It was the beginning of the democracy that we continue having in Bolivia,” Father Xavier Albo told the Catholic news site The Pilot, “with all the ups and downs that democracies have.”
Related: Catholic church warms to liberation theology as founder heads to VaticanRelated: Catholic church warms to liberation theology as founder heads to Vatican
Pope Francis’s recognition of Espinal amid his South American tour – where he has urged the faithful to be wary of “all totalitarian, ideological or sectarian schemes” – highlights the role some clergy played in trying to speak out against dictatorships during the politically tumultuous 1970s and 80s.Pope Francis’s recognition of Espinal amid his South American tour – where he has urged the faithful to be wary of “all totalitarian, ideological or sectarian schemes” – highlights the role some clergy played in trying to speak out against dictatorships during the politically tumultuous 1970s and 80s.
But it also returns the focus to a period when other Catholic leaders – in Argentina and elsewhere – actively supported the military’s crusade against leftwing activists and guerrilla groups.But it also returns the focus to a period when other Catholic leaders – in Argentina and elsewhere – actively supported the military’s crusade against leftwing activists and guerrilla groups.
In Argentina, where Francis was long known as Father Bergoglio before his 2013 election to the papacy, the church’s role was divided. A few members of the clergy played a part in the regime’s killing. Father Christian von Wernich is currently serving a life sentence for numerous cases of kidnapping, torture and murder in which he was involved at death camps run by the police force back then.In Argentina, where Francis was long known as Father Bergoglio before his 2013 election to the papacy, the church’s role was divided. A few members of the clergy played a part in the regime’s killing. Father Christian von Wernich is currently serving a life sentence for numerous cases of kidnapping, torture and murder in which he was involved at death camps run by the police force back then.
Others became martyrs. Bishop Enrique Angelelli of the northern province of La Rioja was killed by the dictatorship for publicly opposing its killing methods in August 1976.Others became martyrs. Bishop Enrique Angelelli of the northern province of La Rioja was killed by the dictatorship for publicly opposing its killing methods in August 1976.
Although the role of Pope Francis, then head of the Jesuit order in Argentina, has been called into doubt in the past, he has always made it clear he had no sympathies for the military regime. In 2006, on the 30th anniversary of Angelelli’s murder, then Cardinal Bergoglio said the bishop “was stoned for spreading the Gospel and paid for it with his blood”.Although the role of Pope Francis, then head of the Jesuit order in Argentina, has been called into doubt in the past, he has always made it clear he had no sympathies for the military regime. In 2006, on the 30th anniversary of Angelelli’s murder, then Cardinal Bergoglio said the bishop “was stoned for spreading the Gospel and paid for it with his blood”.
Argentina’s church itself recognised its failure to condemn the dictatorship. In a statement it issued in September 2000, Argentina’s bishops apologised for their “silence” and the “effective participation” of some clergymen in “torture, delation, political persecution” during the regime.Argentina’s church itself recognised its failure to condemn the dictatorship. In a statement it issued in September 2000, Argentina’s bishops apologised for their “silence” and the “effective participation” of some clergymen in “torture, delation, political persecution” during the regime.
But Boitano, the Argentine activist who lost her two children, is still waiting for a more meaningful recognition by the Vatican of the role some clergy played during the dirty war.But Boitano, the Argentine activist who lost her two children, is still waiting for a more meaningful recognition by the Vatican of the role some clergy played during the dirty war.
She recalls the story of the late Argentine poet Juan Gelman, whose son and daughter-in-law, who was seven months pregnant, were “disappeared”.She recalls the story of the late Argentine poet Juan Gelman, whose son and daughter-in-law, who was seven months pregnant, were “disappeared”.
Boitano said that while he was in political exile in 1978, Gelman went to the Vatican to hunt for clues about whether his grandchild had survived. There, an official confirmed that his daughter-in-law had indeed given birth while she was in a detention camp.Boitano said that while he was in political exile in 1978, Gelman went to the Vatican to hunt for clues about whether his grandchild had survived. There, an official confirmed that his daughter-in-law had indeed given birth while she was in a detention camp.
Years later, in 1990, Gelman’s son’s remains were found in a cement-filled barrel. His daughter-in-law, Maria Claudia, who was Uruguayan, had been flown to Uruguay and given birth before her presumed death. In 2000, Gelman discovered his granddaughter and the two eventually met.Years later, in 1990, Gelman’s son’s remains were found in a cement-filled barrel. His daughter-in-law, Maria Claudia, who was Uruguayan, had been flown to Uruguay and given birth before her presumed death. In 2000, Gelman discovered his granddaughter and the two eventually met.
Boitano believes the church knew many of these critical details as early as 1978, but did nothing to help victims’ families. Nuns were also sometimes on hand for the birth of children born by pregnant victims.Boitano believes the church knew many of these critical details as early as 1978, but did nothing to help victims’ families. Nuns were also sometimes on hand for the birth of children born by pregnant victims.
Related: A grandmother's 36-year hunt for the child stolen by the Argentinian juntaRelated: A grandmother's 36-year hunt for the child stolen by the Argentinian junta
“The nuns went out to buy the first clothes for the kids,” she said. Babies of the disappeared were handed on to be brought up by families of servicemen or regime supporters, and have often grown up unaware of their own histories.“The nuns went out to buy the first clothes for the kids,” she said. Babies of the disappeared were handed on to be brought up by families of servicemen or regime supporters, and have often grown up unaware of their own histories.
Boitano believes that Vatican records could help pin down the exact death toll, and possibly shed new light on where people were last seen before they vanished.Boitano believes that Vatican records could help pin down the exact death toll, and possibly shed new light on where people were last seen before they vanished.
“Opening the archives completely might mean finding data that neither the relatives nor the judges know. Imagine that I disappeared from one day to the next and no one knows what happened, and the Vatican in its archive has four or five different complaints, from different people asking where I am,” she said. “A judge can connect all the complaints and perhaps he/she could find a link between them and could find where the military could have brought me.”“Opening the archives completely might mean finding data that neither the relatives nor the judges know. Imagine that I disappeared from one day to the next and no one knows what happened, and the Vatican in its archive has four or five different complaints, from different people asking where I am,” she said. “A judge can connect all the complaints and perhaps he/she could find a link between them and could find where the military could have brought me.”
The fate of her own children has never emerged, though some claimed that Michelangelo was seen at a “concentration camp” at the Mechanical School of the Army in Buenos Aires. The fate of her own children has never emerged, though some claimed that Michelangelo was seen at a “concentration camp” at the Mechanical School of the Navy in Buenos Aires.
Boitano – who says an official once told her that the church kept two books, listing the names of the living, and of the dead – says she has been told by Francis himself that the archive would soon be open to anyone who sought access to it.Boitano – who says an official once told her that the church kept two books, listing the names of the living, and of the dead – says she has been told by Francis himself that the archive would soon be open to anyone who sought access to it.
“[Now] we have to wait. I hope that he will abide by his promises,” she said.“[Now] we have to wait. I hope that he will abide by his promises,” she said.
She is also seeking a statement of “self-criticism” from the church – an acknowledgement that it “stayed silent when it needed to speak” – and was told one was forthcoming.She is also seeking a statement of “self-criticism” from the church – an acknowledgement that it “stayed silent when it needed to speak” – and was told one was forthcoming.
The Vatican declined to comment on whether it was indeed preparing such a statement.The Vatican declined to comment on whether it was indeed preparing such a statement.
“I would say Pope Francis was part of the complicity of silence,” said Boitano.“I would say Pope Francis was part of the complicity of silence,” said Boitano.