Family confirms body found in Argentina river was missing activist

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Agence France-Presse

21 October 2017 - 00H34





BUENOS AIRES (AFP) -
A body recovered from a river bed in southern Argentina was that of a missing activist who disappeared two months ago during a police operation, his brother confirmed Friday.

Santiago Maldonado, a 28-year-old tattoo artist, was last seen being detained by paramilitary police as they moved to disperse a protest march by the Mapuche indigenous group in Chabut, Patagonia on August 1.

The case has embroiled President Mauricio Macri's government in a political storm and revived dark memories of the country's years of dictatorship and the forced disappearances of opponents.

His elder brother Sergio said the body has now been identified, and that the family blamed authorities for his death.

Read more: http://www.france24.com/en/20171021-family-confirms-body-found-argentina-river-was-missing-activist

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EARLIER ARTICLE POSTED TONIGHT IN THE D.U. LATIN AMERICA FORUM:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/110857793

[Judi Lynn]

1. Body found in icy river could sway Argentina's midterm elections

Tests confirm body is Santiago Maldonado, an activist missing since a security forces raid in August
Uki Goñi in Buenos Aires
Friday 20 October 2017 21.02 EDT

A body found floating in the icy waters of a southern Argentina river could determine the result of midterm elections seen as vital for the right-of-centre president, Mauricio Macri.

The body is that of missing backpacker Santiago Maldonado, whose disappearance 81 days ago caused a political storm as the president seeks a vote of confidence on Sunday to continue his economic austerity programme.

An attempt by Macri to defuse the anger directed at his government for its mishandling of the disappearance backfired horribly after Macri called the mother of the now confirmed dead 28-year-old backpacker on Friday evening to offer his condolences.

“Mauricio Macri is a hypocrite, calling my mother two days before the elections,” Maldonado’s older brother Sergio said in a television interview after the presidential call, saying Macri had called from an private “unknown” number so his mother was not able to screen the call. Sergio also accused the government of hindering the investigation into his brother’s disappearance and of not having contacted his family before. “They should show more respect and not be so hypocritical and such trash,” he said.

More:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/20/body-found-in-icy-river-could-sway-argentinas-midterm-elections

[Judi Lynn]

2. Helpful article posted here by very knowledgeable DU'er, sandensea:

Brutality returns to Argentina's streets as police moves in on peaceful demonstrators
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10141860577