The Argentine Minister of Defense, Luis Petri, has recently appointed two new advisors: Silvia Ibarzabal and Arturo Larrabure. Ibarzabal serves as the vice president of the Association of Family and Friends of Victims of Terrorism in Argentina (AFAVITA), while Larrabure is associated with the Center for Legal Studies on Terrorism and its Victims (CELTYV), an organization led by honorary president Victoria Villarruel. Both have turned their personal tragedies into a form of activism after their parents—Colonels Jorge Roberto Igarzábal and Argentino del Valle Larrabure—were murdered by the People’s Revolutionary Army (ERP). For decades, they have advocated for what they refer to as “full memory.”
According to sources from the Ministry of Defense, Ibarzabal and Larrabure have been hired as contractors in the national directorate for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law. Their roles will involve coordinating cooperation programs between the ministry and various national and international organizations, both governmental and non-governmental.
In addition to their advisory roles, they will help define policies and actions aimed at improving the welfare of personnel within the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces, framing these efforts as an integral part of the Human Rights that protect them.
The arrival of these new officials reinforces the government’s stance on how to interpret the events of the 1970s in Argentina. Despite belonging to different organizations, both Ibarzabal and Larrabure believe that it’s necessary to reevaluate the crimes committed by armed groups and criticize the perspectives adopted by human rights organizations in recent decades.
Interestingly, the vice president’s influence did not play a role in their appointment. The Ministry confirmed to PERFIL that it was Petri who extended the invitation to Ibarzabal and Larrabure, while sources close to Villarruel distanced themselves from the announcement, indicating potential tensions within the national executive.
In July 2023, AFAVITA organized a march in conjunction with the Association of Lawyers for Justice and Concord, as well as the Center for Cross-Studies. The event paid tribute to the victims of a 1976 Montoneros attack against the former Federal Security Superintendent’s dining hall. Prominent figures at the event included Ibarzabal, Deputy Ricardo López Murphy, Buenos Aires legislator Rebeca Fleitas, and former Senator Felicitas Beccar Varela. The group called for the subway station “Entre RÃos-Rodolfo Walsh” to be renamed “Entre RÃos-Victims of Terrorism,” considering the journalist to be responsible for the massacre.
During the event, participants also demanded the restoration of the principle of equality before the law and the cessation of vengeful trials against military and civilian individuals who, in fulfilling their duties, fought against terrorists.
Despite appearing to share similar historical perspectives and organizing events of this nature, there are significant differences within this sector. While Villarruel has emerged as a leading public figure, not all supporters align with her. Some criticize her focus on advocating for civilian victims at the expense of military personnel convicted of crimes against humanity as a political strategy. Although AFAVITA and CELTYV do not have fundamental differences, insiders note long-standing personal rifts between these organizations. The joint presence of Ibarzabal and Larrabure in the Ministry of Defense might signify a shift in alliances.
The new officials’ activism began following the deaths of their parents. Colonel Jorge Norberto Ibarzábal was kidnapped on January 19, 1974, while serving as the head of a military artillery unit in Azul, Buenos Aires. The ERP entered the military base disguised in combat uniforms, complicating their identification. Ibarzábal was abducted in front of his family and taken to a so-called “people’s jail.” After ten months, while being transported, a police chase ended with Ibarzábal being shot and killed.
Throughout his captivity, he managed to send letters to his family to reassure them of his well-being. However, when authorities eventually acknowledged his remains, they found he was in a severely deteriorated state. In 2007, his daughter Silvia announced her intention to push for the case to be investigated as a crime against humanity.
Argentino del Valle Larrabure, similarly a Colonel in the Army, died after spending 372 days in captivity. He was kidnapped on August 12, 1974, while working as the deputy director of a military factory in Córdoba. That night, during a party at the officers’ casino, a group of around 70 ERP members stormed the establishment. They originally aimed to kidnap Larrabure’s superior, but upon finding him unwell, they opted to take Larrabure hostage along with a captain who attempted to escape and was shot.
The assailants fled with arms and Larrabure. He endured brutal treatment and torture throughout his captivity, dying on August 19, 1975. His body was later discovered in a ditch in Rosario, weighing barely over 40 kilos, reflecting the inhumane conditions he faced. His family has consistently denied accusations by the ERP that he had committed suicide.
In 2009, Larrabure’s son, Arturo, sought to reopen the investigation into his father’s case, echoing his colleague’s calls for categorizing his father’s death as a crime against humanity.
Source: https://www.perfil.com/noticias/politica/petri-contrato-a-los-hijos-de-dos-coroneles-asesinados-por-el-erp-en-la-direccion-nacional-de-ddhh-del-ministerio-de-defensa.phtml
