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President of the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo, Estela de Carlotto: 40 years fighting for The Disappeared in Argentina, receives the UNI Freedom from Fear Award

Estela’s inspirational presence lit up the UNI Americas conference in Medellin where she received the UNI Freedom from Fear award for 40 years of immense fortitude and bravery.

President of the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo, Estela Carlotto urged young people to continue the fight for democracy peacefully.

“We do not want even one more death because of violence,” she said.

Estela’s inspirational presence lit up the UNI Americas conference in Medellin where she received the UNI Freedom from Fear award for 40 years of immense fortitude and bravery.

In 1977 Estela Carlotto’s pregnant daughter, Laura was arrested by the Argentinian regime. They let her live long enough to have the baby before killing her. With others, Estela formed the Grandmothers (Abuelas) of Plaza de Mayo to find the grandson she had never met. In 2014 she found her grandson Ignacio.

“The dictatorship thought we would give up. They were chauvinists and they were wrong. The grandmothers are still here forty years on and will continue to search for missing grand-children and great grand-children stolen by the dictatorship.”

30,000 people, many of them youngsters were kidnapped, tortured and murdered by the dictatorship. It’s believed that more than 500 babies were born in captivity. The Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo have found 121 to date, including Estela’s grandson. The search goes on using DNA and genetics, some of which was developed in response to their quest.

Commenting on the challenges of modern day Argentina and the current neo-liberal government, Estela said, “We will accompany the democratic process, and never give away ground.”