SPAIN: MARIA ESTELA MARTINEZ, WIDOW OF FORMER ARGENTINIAN PRESIDENT JUAN PERON, TESTIFIES CONCERNING THE DISAPPEARANCE OF MORE THAN 300 SPANIARDS IN ARGENTINA BETWEEN 1973 AND 1983

Record ID: 190462

  • Title: SPAIN: MARIA ESTELA MARTINEZ, WIDOW OF FORMER ARGENTINIAN PRESIDENT JUAN PERON, TESTIFIES CONCERNING THE DISAPPEARANCE OF MORE THAN 300 SPANIARDS IN ARGENTINA BETWEEN 1973 AND 1983
  • Date: 3rd February 1997
  • Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (FEBRUARY 3, 1997) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. LV EXTERIOR OF THE NATIONAL COURTHOUSE 0.09 2. SV PRESS 0.17 3. SV MOTHERS HOLDING BANNERS/ CU PHOTOGRAPHS (2 SHOTS) 0.26 4. SV MARIA MANUEL LABRADOR, MEMBER OF THE MOTHERS OF THE PLAZA DE MAYO, SAYING "THE ONLY THING WE'RE ASKING FOR IS THAT SHE TELL THE TRUTH BECAUSE SHE HAS A BIG RESPONSIBILITY AS EX-PRESIDENT OF ARGENTINA." (SPANISH) 0.46 5. SV MATILDE ARTES, MEMBER OF THE MOTHERS OF THE PLAZA DE MAYO, SAYING "IT SEEMS VERY IMPORTANT THAT SHE SHOWED UP. WE HOPE THAT HER CONSCIENCE MAKES HER TELL THE WHOLE TRUTH, BECAUSE DURING HER MANDATE THERE WAS A LOT OF TORTURE AND WERE MANY MISSING PERSONS. SHE HAS A LOT TO SAY" (SPANISH) 1.16 6. SV MOTHERS WITH PHOTOGRAPHS 1.19 7. LV MOTHERS PARADING IN STREETS 1.34 8. SV/LV SECURITY (2 SHOTS) 1.44 9. LV PRESS 1.48 10. LV JUDGE BALTASAR BARZON LEAVING THE COURTHOUSE 2.00 11. LV PERON'S WIDOW MARIA ESTELA MARTINEZ "ISABELITA" WALKING OUT OF THE COURTHOUSE TO HER CAR WITH MEMBERS OF THE MOTHERS OF THE PLAZA DE MAYO THROWING EGGS AT THE CAR 2.27 12. LV/SV PRESS (2 SHOTS) 2.32 13. SCU CARLOS CREPOY, LAWYER FOR THE FAMILIES OF THE MISSING, SAYING "SHE GAVE A LONG DEPOSITION WITH A VERY COOPERATIVE ATTITUDE, BUT SHE MADE VERY CLEAR THAT SHE LACKS ANY INFORMATION CONCERNING THE QUESTIONS WE ASKED HER" (SPANISH) 2.58 14. SV/LV PRESS (2 SHOTS) 3.09 Initials s3-2, p3 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 18th February 1997 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: MADRID, SPAIN
  • City:
  • Country: Spain
  • Reuters ID: LVA3NFJWJHN7BQ2LPPV7TR1FWFS4
  • Story Text: INTRO: The widow of Argentina's former President Juan Peron, Maria Estela Martinez "Isabelita", has testified in mattersconcerning the disappearance of more than 300 Spaniards in Argentina during the dictatorship (1973-1983).

    Maria Estela Martinez "Isabelita", former Argentinian President Juan Peron's widow, testified for almost five hours in Madrid concerning the disappearance of more than 300 Spaniards in Argentina during the dictatorship (1973-1983).

    About a dozen members of Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, a group of mothers of those missing, rallied outside the National Courthouse on Monday (February 3) to show support for the investigation. They held signs displaying photographs of their relatives and banners reading, "Prison for those guilty of genocide." "The only thing we're asking for is that she tell the truth because she has a big responsibility as ex-president of Argentina," said Maria Manuela Labrador, member of Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo.

    "It seems very important that she showed up. We hope that her conscience makes her tell the whole truth, because during her mandate there was a lot of torture and were many missing persons.

    She has a lot to say," explained Matilde Artes, another member of the Mothers group.

    National High Court Judge Baltasar Barzon has summoned over 70 Argentinians, most of them linked to the country's military forces, to testify as defendants. Garzon has also called on all of the victims' families to testify.

    "She gave a long deposition with a very cooperative attitude, but she made very clear that she lacks any information concerning the questions we asked her," reported Carlos Crepoy, attorney for the families of those missing, after leaving the deposition room.

    The main military chiefs who directed the campaign of kidnapping, torture, and murder against left-wing opposition were tried and imprisoned in 1985 and then pardoned and freed in 1989 by current President Carlos Menem.


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