The Government responded to Estela de Carlotto and denied that it was going to close the exESMA

In dialogue with Scopethe Secretary of Human Rights, Alberto Baños, denied this saturday that the Government is going to close the exESMA Memory Spaceas the president of the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo had denounced, Carlotto’s Stele. He also dismissed ATE’s accusations of dismantling public policies in the area.

Since taking office at the Human Rights Secretariat, the former judge Alberto Baños He practically did not express himself in public about the policies he carries out in such a sensitive area. This time, he decided respond to complaints against you after the announcements of layoffs and the closure of the Haroldo Conti Cultural Memory Center, which operates in the exESMA.

After these announcements, the president of Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo, Carlotto’s Stelewarned last Friday that the government of Javier Milei “wants to close the exESMA”. Bathrooms he flatly denied it. “lie. In fact, we are bringing other units to the property. CIPDH (International Center for the Promotion of Human Rights) and Conadi (National Commission for the Right to Identity), for example. Soon even the minister himself will be on site,” he assured.

Another episode that generated massive repudiation was announcement of the “closure” of the Haroldo Conti Cultural Center. The message was sent to the workers by WhatsApp on December 31 at noon. In it, he spoke of “an adequate internal restructuring, reassembly of work teams and analysis of next year’s programming.” The State Workers Association (ATE) interpreted that it was a definitive closure.

In dialogue with this medium, Bathrooms assured that, in reality, It is a “cessation” to carry out a restructuring. “You couldn’t do all that with people at the door. The union entering the buildings, etc.,” he considered. The announcement came after the termination of dozens of contracts under the ACARA modality, which affected several areas of the Human Rights Secretariat and decimated the staff of the Conti Cultural Center. The unions rejected the dismissals and asked for reinstatement.

Dismissals and dismissals in the Human Rights Secretariat

As reported ATEbetween dismissals and reinstatementsat the beginning of December the Human Rights Secretariat had 200 fewer workers since the current Government took office. For the union it is a “dismantling” of the area. “Another lie”, the secretary responds Bathrooms. He states that “there were hundreds who were appointed and did not go.”

To this situation, a new chapter was added at the end of 2024. By that date A contracting modality called ACARA was completed in the Ministry of Justicefunded by an automotive registration association. There were 2,400 workers in total. There were promises of some rehiring, but there was never an official announcement. Meanwhile, those who had these ACARA contracts were “proposed” to sign a voluntary withdrawal to be paid in installments. 30% did not accept and were permanently separated and told that they would be paid half of the compensation that corresponds to them.

This measure generated protests from unions. Especially from ATE, which made noises and mobilizations in the workplace. From the organization, they told Ámbito that there were repeated requests for meetings and requests for reinstatements. The secretary Bathrooms He maintains that these are “abuses.” And adds: “What it’s about here is that he doesn’t understand that some things have changed after so much time of abuse.”

ATE holds a festival against the closure of the Haroldo Conti Cultural Memory Center

In repudiation of Secretary Baños’ announcement, ATE held on Saturday, January 4, starting at 6:00 p.m., the festival “A memory that BURNS. The Conti on guard” in the Memory Space (exESMA), Av. Del Libertador 8151, CABA.

“We call on our beautiful, dignified, belligerent community – the one that made this great stage strength, transformation and freedom of truth – to join us,” they asked from ATEwhich brings together the majority of El Conti workers.