The death of Taty Almeida at 95 years old He caused a deep shock in the human rights movement and in broad sectors of Argentine society, who recognized in him one of the firmest and most persistent voices in the fight for memory, truth and justice since the return of democracy. Historical member of Mothers of Plaza de Mayo Founding LineAlmeida died after decades of sustained militancy, marked by the disappearance of her son Alejandro during the last military dictatorship, a fact that transformed her life and led her to become a central reference in the claim against impunity.
The wake, held in the City of Buenos Aires, brought together political leaders, human rights organizations, activists and family members who accompanied the farewell in a climate of collective reflection and recognition. One of the most significant moments was the arrival of Carlotto’s Stele, president of Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo, who maintained a political and personal relationship with Almeida for decades.
Visibly moved, Carlotto approached the coffin, remained silent for several minutes and then expressed farewell words to those present that summarized the bond between the two and the shared legacy: she remembered Almeida as “a tireless companion, a brave woman who never stopped fighting” and stressed that her figure “will continue to mark the path of the new generations.” Witnesses at the wake reported that the hug between members of Mothers and Grandmothers was one of the most symbolic gestures of the day, reflecting a common history crossed by pain and the search for justice.
Laura Catalina “Taty” Almeida He was born into a middle-class family and led an existence far from political militancy for much of his life. His transformation began in 1975, when his son Alejandro was kidnapped and subsequently disappeared by the repressive forces of the State. During the first years, like many other mothers, she followed a path of solitary search until she joined the Plaza de Mayo patrols, where she began to organize collectively with other women in the same situation. Over time it became one of the most visible references of the Founding Line, the sector that after the division of the original organization maintained an independent position focused on the defense of human rights without party alignments unlike the group led by Hebe de Bonafini.
His militancy was characterized by perseverance in the Thursday marches, participation in trials for crimes against humanity and the construction of historical memory through testimonies, talks and presence in educational settings. Almeida was also an active voice in contemporary debates, linking the human rights agenda with current problems and maintaining a critical view of different governments when he considered that rights were violated or the past was relativized. His figure was thus consolidated as an ethical reference, respected even by sectors that did not fully share his political positions.
For her part, Estela Barnes de Carlotto was born in the city of La Plata and also came to militancy through a personal tragedy: the disappearance of her daughter Laura in 1977, who gave birth in captivity to a child appropriated by the military regime. This fact prompted her to join Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo, an organization that set out to identify and restore the identity of the children of the disappeared. Under his leadership, Abuelas achieved historic advances in human rights, including the creation of the National Genetic Data Bank and the recovery of more than a hundred grandchildren. The discovery in 2014 of his own grandson, Guido Montoya Carlottomarked one of the most emblematic moments of his career.
Although they belonged to different organizations, Almeida and Carlotto built a close bond over the years based on common objectives. Both participated in joint events, marches and international campaigns, and shared the task of keeping the demand for justice in the face of the crimes of the dictatorship in force. While Madres de Plaza de Mayo Línea Fundadora focused its actions on public denunciation, memory and accompaniment to judicial processes, Abuelas developed a specific strategy aimed at the restitution of identity, which turned both organizations into complementary pillars of the human rights movement in Argentina.
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