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Month: November 2018

538. bombs & anarchists

On 14 Nov 2018 around 17:15 —less than an hour before closing time— a bomb went off inside Recoleta Cemetery. Marcelo immediately sent me a message via WhatsApp & within seconds I watched the story unfold on TN’s live YouTube broadcast from my living room in Spain:

Buenos Aires, Recoleta Cemetery, TN Vivo

The explosion occurred in the far left corner of the cemetery at the tomb of Ramón Falcón, & initial reports mentioned one of five home-made pipe bombs exploding… severely injuring one woman who was being attended by an EMT crew onsite. Forensic police arrived to investigate the scene as well as assess any potential threat from unexploded devices. Later that day, the following photos were released via the national news agency, Télam:

Buenos Aires, Recoleta Cemetery, bombing, Ramón Falcón, Télam

Buenos Aires, Recoleta Cemetery, bombing, Ramón Falcón, Télam

Buenos Aires, Recoleta Cemetery, bombing, Ramón Falcón, Télam

The story wasn’t difficult to put together. The injured woman, 34-year old Anahí Esperanza Salcedo, had been responsible for the bombing & suffered facial damage as well as the loss of three fingers when the device exploded early… apparently while taking a selfie.

Salcedo entered the cemetery with Hugo Alberto Rodríguez, both disguised with wigs & sunglasses. They identify as anarchists & wanted to destroy the tomb of Falcón, who had been assassinated by an anarchist 109 years ago. In the end, the tomb survived while Salcedo remains in critical condition.

Police officials consider this crime linked to another pipe bomb thrown into the front patio of the home of judge Claudio Bonadio later that same day. Bonadio is currently investigating charges of bribery & money laundering involving members of the previous government, including former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. The following day federal police raided the anarchists’ base of operations in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of San Cristóbal & arrested 10 individuals after finding material used to make pipe bombs.

Marcelo went to Recoleta Cemetery to assess the situation two days after the bombing occurred. The first change he noticed is that bags are now being inspected at the entrance gate. While we aren’t sure if this checkpoint will become permanent, be prepared to have your belongings searched until further notice. Marcelo also confirmed the correct time of the bombing, misreported in local media as around 18:00… impossible since the cemetery promptly closes at that time every day. Forensic police were still working the scene during his visit:

Buenos Aires, Recoleta Cemetery, entrance gate, Marcelo Metayer

Buenos Aires, Recoleta Cemetery, Marcelo Metayer

Buenos Aires, Recoleta Cemetery, Marcelo Metayer

Buenos Aires, Recoleta Cemetery, Marcelo Metayer

Marcelo also heard people ask in several different languages where the explosion had taken place. Word had quickly spread about the incident. He’ll return next week for an update, so stay tuned! In the meantime, tombs that are located inside the orange dashed line on the map below cannot be visited. This corresponds to locations numbered 41 to 44 in the PDF guide:

Buenos Aires, Recoleta Cemetery, affected section from bombing

During 19 years of visiting & documenting Recoleta Cemetery, neither Marcelo nor I ever imagined this kind of violence taking place inside. Some speculate that it may be an attempt to disrupt an otherwise calm city preceding the G-20 summit. Whatever the reason, one lesson that Recoleta Cemetery demonstrates through almost 200 years of history is that violence is never the means to an end. And you can’t kill someone twice!

Update (22 Nov 2018): Apparently all cemeteries in Buenos Aires—Recoleta, Chacarita & Flores—will not allow visitors to enter with bags or backpacks, & handbags will be inspected by security. Photo courtesy of Susana Gesualdi:

Buenos Aires, Recoleta Cemetery, Susana Gesualdi, notice

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537. familia olegario v. andrade

Buenos Aires, Recoleta Cemetery, Olegario Víctor Andrade

During the period of national organization after independence from Spain, many families had to make a difficult decision: support a Confederation of provinces or a Buenos Aires-based government. Escalating into civil war, factions split between Urquiza & Rosas… in fact, many people on both sides are buried in Recoleta Cemetery & this blog dedicates a lot of text to this period. Based in the province of Entre Ríos & firm Urquiza supporters, the Andrade family was forced to leave Argentina. They made their way to neighboring Brazil where Olegario Víctor Andrade was born in 1839. After the 1853 defeat of Rosas, his family returned to Argentina & settled in the riverside town of Gualeguaychú.

Olegario finished his early studies in the nearby town of Concepción del Uruguay & became friends with a future President Julio Argentino Roca… as well as with others who would go on to become important national leaders such as Victorino de la Plaza & Eduardo Wilde. Olegario demonstrated a gift for writing poetry even at this early age, often writing about national events. Although he worked in journalism at first, he eventually moved into provincial politics. In 1859 at the age of 21, Andrade became personal secretary for President Santiago Derqui & put his pen to good use in criticizing Bartolomé Mitre & the War of the Triple Alliance.

Buenos Aires, Recoleta Cemetery, Olegario Víctor Andrade

Although his political career continued with a number of ups & downs, Andrade achieved major recognition for his poem “El nido de cóndores” which was read to the public at the Teatro Colón in 1877. This work uses an imaginary dialogue with condors to praise the crossing of the Andes by José de San Martín & his troops during independence. A monument in Plaza San Martín in Andrade’s hometown of Gualeguaychú commemorates this very poem:

Gualeguaychú, Entre Ríos, Plaza San Martín, Olegario Víctor Andrade, El Nido de Cóndores

Andrade continued to write epic historical poetry. Of note is “San Martín“, discussing the general’s move to Europe & consequent disappearance from national narrative. This poem was written when Sarmiento repatriated the general’s remains in 1877, & the section below addresses the recovery of San Martín’s rightful place in national history:

¡Salud al vencedor! ¡Salud al grande
Entre los grandes héroes! Exclamaban
Civiles turbas, militares greyes,
Con ardiente alborozo,
En la vieja ciudad de los Virreyes.–
Y el vencedor huía,
Con firme paso y actitud serena,
A confiar a las ondas de los mares
Los profundos secretos de su pena.–

La ingratitud, la envidia,
La sospecha cobarde, que persiguen
Como nubes tenaces,
Al sol del genio humano,
Fueron siguiendo el rastro de sus pasos
A través del Oceano,
Ansiosas de cerrarle los caminos
Del poder y la gloria,
¡Sin acordarse, ¡torpes! de cerrarle
El seguro camino de la historia!

……….

Here’s to the victor! Here’s to the greatest
Among all great heroes! Exclaimed
Multitudes of citizens, military troops,
With heartfelt joy,
In the old city of the Vicerroys.-
And the victor fled,
With convincing step and serene demeanor,
To trust to the waves of the seas
The deep secrets of his sorrow.-

Ingratitude, envy,
Cowardly suspicion, that followed
Like tenacious clouds,
To the sun of human genius,
They pursued the track of his footsteps
Across the Ocean,
Anxious to block the path
Of power and glory,
Without remembering, fools!, to close off
The sure path of history!

Andrade passed away from a stroke in 1882. His former high school friend Roca—then President—spoke at the funeral, & five years later Congress published a compilation of Andrade’s works. Today however, those works are unfortunately less well known as can be seen by the poor condition of his family mausoleum (in spite of being declared a National Historic Monument). Also buried here are his daughter, Agustina, & her husband, Ramón Lista, an early explorer of Patagonia who deserves a post of his own. Perhaps next month…

Buenos Aires, Recoleta Cemetery, Olegario Víctor Andrade

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