/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/prisa/BUKE26TGPJHKTIDFSNDRJXH3XA.JPG "The ESMA: From Horrors of the Past to a World Heritage Site of Memory")
“Former Argentine Navy Detention Center Declared UNESCO World Heritage Site”
The former Mechanics School of the Argentine Navy (ESMA), which served as a clandestine detention center during the military dictatorship in Argentina between 1976 and 1983, has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The ESMA, located in the affluent Núñez neighborhood in the north of Buenos Aires, was the site of countless human rights violations, including torture and murder.
The ESMA, particularly the old Officers’ Casino, has been recognized as the “most prominent symbol of state terrorism” by UNESCO. The basement of the ESMA was one of the first places where people kidnapped during the dictatorship arrived, and it is now part of a tour that tells its harrowing story.
The Argentine Navy designed the ESMA in 1924 as a non-commissioned officer school, but it was later converted into a detention center for political prisoners. Human rights organizations estimate that around 5,000 detainees passed through the ESMA, with less than 200 surviving. The site is also significant as it is where half a thousand babies, like Emiliano Hueravilo, were born and later abandoned by the military.
The recognition of the ESMA as a World Heritage Site is crucial as it confirms the existence of state terrorism in Argentina during the dictatorship. The designation serves to guarantee the preservation of the site as evidence of the country’s dark past. Hueravilo, who was born in the ESMA, emphasizes the importance of passing on the memory of the dictatorship to future generations.
The ESMA property is still evidence in ongoing judicial cases investigating crimes committed at the detention center. Approximately 300 judicial cases remain open, and the building has remained unaltered since its recovery as a museum.
The decision to designate the ESMA as a World Heritage Site was a long time in the making. There were debates within Argentine society about the fate of the site, with then-president Carlos Menem even proposing its demolition in 1998. However, the efforts to preserve the memory of the ESMA gained momentum during the Kirchner presidencies. The property now serves as a living space that hosts educational and cultural activities, including art exhibitions, film series, and sports events. It also houses organizations such as Abuelas y Madres de Plaza de Mayo.
While the site has become a space of memory, it is not without controversy. The significance of the past and the memory of the dictatorship are constantly under review. However, the ESMA remains a crucial reminder of the atrocities committed during the military dictatorship, and the museum within the property aims to provoke thought and discussion.
The announcement of the ESMA’s designation as a World Heritage Site has brought international visibility to state terrorism in Argentina. The efforts to present the ESMA’s candidacy to UNESCO began in 2015, and it was officially recognized in January of last year. The significance of the ESMA is now on par with other historic sites such as Auschwitz and Hiroshima.