Los desaparecidos refers to victims of enforced disappearances in Central and South America, particularly those swept up in Operation Condor during the 1970s. Most were leftists and moderates targeted by right-wing governments. Abductions were carried out by military and law enforcement outside the legal system, with many victims tortured and murdered. Efforts to gather information on the disappeared have been hampered by destroyed documents and lack of cooperation. Many remain unknown, and violence against certain social groups in Latin America continues.
The term los desaparecidos is used to describe victims of enforced disappearances in Central and South America. Many people use the term to specifically refer to people swept up in Operation Condor, an infamous campaign that was directly implicated in thousands of disappearances and acts of repression in South America during the 1970s. In most cases, the fate of los desaparecidos or “the disappeared” is unknown, despite the best efforts of friends and family.
Most of the los desaparecidos were leftists and moderates involved in right-wing government campaigns aimed at eliminating dissidents. They have commonly been accused of terrorism, treason, and other anti-government acts, while others have simply been quietly kidnapped because of their associates, physical appearance, or taste in books.
The abductions of the desaparecidos often involved members of the military and law enforcement, but were outside the legal system. People just vanished one day without any explanation and were taken to internment camps. Many of the los desaparecidos were tortured and eventually murdered, with numerous mass graves scattered throughout South America testifying to the fates of many of these missing individuals.
In the 1980s, as military juntas and oppressive governments began to wane in Latin America, many citizens began to speak openly about los desaparecidos. They had previously feared government reprisals, but with the overthrow of violent governments, they felt confident marching in the streets, posting “missing” posters and agitating for information about the fate of the thousands who have disappeared in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Brazil and Colombia, among other nations.
Several task forces and commissions have attempted to gather information on the fate of the disappeared, but have been hampered by destroyed documents and a lack of cooperation from officials who could have provided more information. Some victims have been identified through inspection of mass graves by international teams of forensic anthropologists, with some volunteers working at great personal risk to identify the dead in politically unstable regions. Others have been identified through survivor testimony and through the scattered records available.
However, the vast majority of los desaparecidos remain unknown and may never be known. Many people lost friends and family during the 1970s and 1980s, and the memory of this turbulent time in Latin American history is still fresh in the minds of many South and Central Americans. Violence against certain social groups in Latin America is still a problem, as exemplified by the hundreds of murders of young women that have plagued Mexico’s Ciudad Juarez since 1993.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
