El Ciudadano
Original article: Organizaciones de DDHH participaron en colocación de «primera piedra» del Memorial Tejas Verdes en San Antonio
Human Rights Organizations Participate in the Groundbreaking of the Tejas Verdes Memorial in San Antonio
On March 7, a ceremony marking the laying of the «first stone» and the signing of a commitment for the construction of the Tejas Verdes Memorial took place in San Antonio. This initiative aims to preserve historical memory, honor the victims of the civic-military dictatorship, and strengthen democracy.
The memorial will be located on Arrayan Street, between San Juan and Av. Chile, at the northern entrance to the Lo Gallardo Bridge, directly opposite the former detention and torture center, Tejas Verdes, which was under the command of General Manuel Contreras, known as «Mamo,» the head of the notorious DINA.
The event was led by San Antonio’s provincial presidential delegate, Carolina Quinteros, along with the mayor of San Antonio, Omar Vera, and included participation from various authorities and human rights organizations from the community, province, and Santiago.
After the ceremony, Luis Barrera, president of the San Antonio Human Rights Commission, reflected on their commitment to never forget their colleagues who were forcibly disappeared or executed for political reasons, such as companion Baccerini. He emphasized the duty to keep their memories alive in the consciousness of the country and city.
Nelly Andrade, a representative for the survivors of Tejas Verdes from Santiago, expressed, «For us, this is a dream come true. We wanted to have something that states this place was the site of torture, disappearances, and human rights violations. We want to ensure that these events never happen again in Chile or anywhere else in the world.»
She added, «We are very grateful to all the organizations and community, social, and government bodies that supported this initiative; thank you so much, we are very happy.»
Meanwhile, provincial presidential delegate Carolina Quinteros highlighted that this milestone represents a significant act of recognition and symbolic reparation for the affected families and communities.
«This is an important milestone, resulting from four years of hard work from the delegation prompted by human rights organizations, family members, and victims of the dictatorship. It aligns with the commitment made by President Gabriel Boric’s government toward memory and the pledge of never again,» asserted the presidential delegate.
She emphasized, «We hope this project materializes soon to ensure we remember that San Antonio was part of one of the darkest moments in Chile’s history, and despite the pain, there can be hope arising from the work of social organizations.»
Finally, Mayor Omar Vera underscored the ongoing efforts of the San Antonio Human Rights Commission and the Commission of the Disappeared, which joined forces with the Ministry of Public Works, specifically the regional ministerial secretary, the regional director of Roads, the municipality, and the construction company of the second Lo Gallardo Bridge to create the memorial.
«We are committed to moving forward with the project, ensuring that new authorities can realize it, and the municipality will be responsible for the care and protection of that memorial. We thank everyone who has participated and contributed to this significant milestone,» stated the mayor.
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