On June 25, 1978, Argentina won its first World Cup, and moreover, a World Cup hosted on Argentina soil. A HUGE feat and reason for celebrating, right? Well, no.
What isn't known around most of the world is that during this Copa Mundial, Argentina was living under the repressive and awful dictatorship of Jorge Videla which kidnapped, tortured and "disappeared" thousands Argentines. Between 1976 and 1983, 30,000 Argentines were assassinated or presumed so. The most sickening thing about the final match versus Holland on that day is that the stadium in which the game took place was only BLOCKS from the ESMA, the worst concentration and torture camp in Argentina. Survivors of ESMA report they could hear the deafening roars of the celebration from their cells.
In La Voz del Interior, Cordoba's newspaper, columnist Federico Giammaría wrote a few days ago, "Today, Wednesday, and forever, the voices that should be heard are those that on June 25, 1978 suffered the military's tortures while many--countless--people went to the streets to celebrate."
Not only did Argentina, by hosting this World Cup, successfully cover up the horror that was going on in the country and broadcast itself to the world as a harmonious place, but there is heavy speculation that other teams were paid by the military to lose, or that Argentina's very own team members (who are treated like royalty) knew about ESMA and other torture camps.
But some team members reject the idea that the military had anything to do with the win; they were just a phenomenally good team with legendary players. A lot of people hate the stain that has been set upon this win, saying that a lot of advances happened during this time, the darkest in Argentina history, and a World Cup win similarly should not be diminished. Gustavo Farías, a counterpoint columnist to the other, wrote in the newspaper, "That soccer had given us in 1978 a pause of elation is a miracle that only this sport is capable of generating."
2 comments:
hola cariña! muchisimas gracias para tu mensaje me gusto mucho! me encanta tu blog y todas las fotos....estamos viendo la copa de Europa cada dia aqui y es demasiado divertido gritando y todo con los hombres en mis casa. estoy muy feliz aqui, la vida es muy tranquilo y termine mi aplicacion para fondos para un proyecto sostenible quiero crear aqui en mi trabajo. ¿Cuando vas a Peru? estoy un poco celosa que puedes ver mel y cec en accion...pero espero que tengas un tiempo increible mi amor. ¿estare en los estados el 2 de agosto y vos?
xoxo dev
Kate! I have been cyber-stalking you recently while I put off doing anything productive at work. It looks like you are having a phenomenal time down south! It's getting me jazzed to study abroad next year.
Also, really interesting stuff about los desaparecidos. La guerra sucia was one of the themes for my Spanish class last semester, so we learned all about it.
Maybe see you this summer? If not, have fun and nice blogging skillzzz!
- Chloe D.
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