The BAUEN workers pay homage to the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo
Speech by Federico Tonarelli, April 18, 2012
We simply think that it was the best opportunity to remind all of you, and the grandmothers, obviously, of the story of this place. It is a place that is intimately linked to the story of Estela (de Carlotto), and the Grandmothers, from its beginning with the military dictatorship – when there’s talk of the civilian members of the military dictatorship, this is perhaps, the most visible case for all of us.
The hotel was built with public funds from the former BANADE, in the times of the military dictatorship, through a close relationship with the Armada, and from that very moment, in the middle of World Cup of 1978, the hotel became the hotel of sectors of power of the dominant class, hosting each and every one of the activities of the most powerful sectors. Even as late as the democracy of the ’90s, they finished raffling off Argentina. And what makes us so proud is that we have turned this place into the place complete opposite of the place that it was for more than 25 years. And we intend to accompany them to the end, until each one of the identities of each one of the grandchildren who are missing is recovered. We think that the best way to honor them is to call this lovely auditorium “Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo,” and build, together with you, from here on, an infinte, endless path, and thank you very much!
(Extracted from the documentary BAUEN. Struggle, culture and work, by Fabián Pierucci.)