"It was something small" | Page12

Defense Minister Oscar Aguad yesterday downplayed the Carapintadas uprisings against Raul Alfonsin's government and was forced to rectify the rejection that his statements sparked in human rights organizations ( see separately) and among the radical leaders. The head of Cambiemos broke out while he was defending Aldo Rico's "right to walk" at the Independence Day. The military coup against the radical government "was a minor event," suggested Cordova, who in the 1990s shared boxes with the genocidal Luciano Benjamín Menéndez. The silence of the Radical Civic Union contrasted with the rejection of its historical rulers. "People have taken to the streets to defend democracy, if it is too small for him," said former minister Horacio Jaunarena. "You can not minimize the uprising of the carapintada for longer," said Julio Cobos. Ricardo Alfonsín directly accused him of "falsifying the history" and "aggravation of the Argentines". Before any front-line official was questioned, Aguad issued a statement in which he implied that he had been "misunderstood" and explained that "reiterates (ba)" what it does not mean. had not said: his "historical repudiation (sic) to the uprising of the carapintada". The Richñato, consulted during his previous coup d'etat, declared that "under the same conditions, he would do it again" and specified that "antikirchnerista" supported the government of Cambiemos.

The old carapintada paraded Tuesday on a green beret from Libertador Avenue with ex-fighters from the Falklands. President Mauricio Macri was already out of the box, where he was applauded by Vice President Gabriela Michetti, Chief of Staff Marcos Peña, Senator Federico Pinedo, Ministers Aguad and Patricia Bullrich, and current leaders of the armed forces, among others. Rico's presence had already sparked rejection at Cambiemos' first military parade in 2016, when he was accompanied by former lieutenant-colonel Emilio Nani, then a prisoner of crimes against l & # 39; humanity.

"He's a veteran of the Malvinas and he has the right to walk," Aguad defended during the first hour. "The thing about Aldo Rico with the carapintadas is old story, I do not think we should delete it, it happened," he played down. "It was a small event in history and had no implication, I do not think it put democracy in check," the minister said in a radio interview. Prior to the journalistic insistence, he added that "it was a movement that resulted from before", but that "democracy defeated him, he did not let him." evolve, it would not give it so much importance, "he asked. Aligned to the electoral scenario of Cambiemos, Aguad felt that "it is important to rebuild the patriotic feeling in Argentina" because "it is a country that needs unity to go from the "before" and, already aware of his participation in a berenjenal, he suggested that "Aldo Rico does not exist in this part of the story." "If you want to parade this parade. we waste time talking about Aldo Rico at the time we live? ", he said.

Although the UCR's official statement never arrived, several white berets expressed their rejection. Jaunarena, who was defense minister at the time of the uprising, said he did not know "what Aguad meant by saying that the carapintada uprising was small." "I remember that in the House of Governments were all the political leaders supporting the national government, as well as the trade union movement, people had come out on the streets to defend democracy," he said. Radio La Red. "If for the minister, it was small, it was neither for the people nor for the political leaders who supported Raúl Alfonsín, I do not share what he said," he said. declared.

"This is not true that it was a minor event," said Juan Manuel Casella, who accepted the consultation of PáginaI12. "It was an uprising that was aimed at endangering democratic governance, which created an institutional urgency." Decreasing the importance of the facts is a mistake, "said the former Labor Minister. Alfonsin, who attempted to explain Rico's presence in the parade, not for his interpretation at Malvinas but because he was "legislator and mayor for many years". .

Ricardo Alfonsín called Aguad in a Twitter message. "With all due respect, your statements offend that those who fought for democracy and its consolidation, for peace and against violence," repudiated the son of the former president . "You do not have the right to distort history in this way, nor to aggravate the Argentines," he questioned the minister.

Senator Julio Cobos, consulted by this newspaper, stressed that "the uprising of the carapintada can not be minimized for more time" and recalled that "it was a fact that put the democracy in danger and put the country outstanding". Jesus Rodriguez, also a former alfonsist leader, recalled that "Holy Week and the other two military uprisings were aimed at fighting democracy" and stressed that it was "a historical truth" who does not support two opinions ".

Former deputy Manuel Garrido explained that "what Rico committed is a crime against the Constitution". "His presence in the parade and, even worse, his minimization by the Minister of Defense is a terrible institutional message, especially towards generations who have not experienced what was happening at the time when democratic institutions were failing, "he told PáginaI12.

In the face of the wave of repudiation, the Defense issued a statement in which it informed that it "repeats its historical repudiation of the Carapintada uprising that took place in Campo de Mayo in 1987 and rejects any change in the law. democratic order or behavior that threatens the institution. " With his mouth shut, Aguad suggested in writing that his words "had been misinterpreted" and congratulated Alfonsin for "that he was doing a tremendous job in preserving the institutional order".