The International Workers’ Unity – Fourth International (IWU-FI) recently issued a call to international action for the appearance of activist Santiago Maldonado. From the United States, we express our solidarity with his family and comrades. Below the call for action.
The young craftsman Santiago Maldonado was accompanying the Mapuche community Pu Lof in Cushamen, province of Chubut, Argentina, in dispute with the landholders of the Italian group Benetton, when on 1 August the repressors of the Gendarmerie carried out a brutal attack. Maldonado was arrested and disappeared by the officers of this police-military body.
The authorities of the national government of Mauricio Macri and the provincial government of Chubut are escalating the criminalisation of the Mapuche people and against those who offer them solidarity. In this context, the crime against Maldonado has taken place. Security Minister Patricia Bullrich even tried to cover up the repressors and lashed out at the missing person’s family, accusing them of not providing information for the investigation. Bullrich also revealed the name of one witness in the case, exposing him to reprisals.
The authorities took three weeks to acknowledge that it was a case of enforced disappearance and to begin an official investigation under that concept. They only bowed to social pressure after the carrying out of a massive march in the city of Buenos Aires for the appearance alive of Santiago Maldonado.
That is why we must redouble the mobilisation against the Macri government, to stop the cover-up of the repressors, to find the whereabouts of Santiago Maldonado, for the freedom of Mapuche political prisoner Facundo Jones Huala and the recognition of Mapuche lands In Patagonia.
On Friday 1 September, one month after the forced disappearance of Maldonado, a national protest day will be held in Argentina for its appearance alive. We call to extend this day at an international level. That the trade union, popular, student and political organisations of the world spread this claim and mobilise on 1 September to Argentina’s embassies and consulates bringing these same requirements. Only the mobilisation can bend the arm of Macri’s government and force him to answer with the appearance alive of Santiago Maldonado, now. Macri’s government is responsible.
Appearance alive of Santiago Maldonado, now! Alive they took him, alive we want him!
International Workers’ Unity – Fourth International (IWU-FI)
28 August 2017
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