It’s difficult to determine a numerical figure for yesterday’s demonstration in Buenos Aires’ Plaza de Mayo. The photos are conclusive. The emotional energy was as enormous as the turnout. Every last mass media outlet and active participant at the event highlighted one element that stood out: the unity achieved between the majority of the EMVyJ (left wing coalition of human rights organizations) and the Board of Human Rights Organizations (coalition of moderate and Peronist human rights organizations). This did not happen by inertia: there were different expressions of political will and determination, debates, hypotheses, and predictions about yesterday’s events. Now it is time for a first in-depth assessment. We share our perspective as participants.

By: Mariano Rosa

It was impressive. March 24th is a social thermometer of the Argentine people. It measures the level of active awareness regarding a crucial event: the last military dictatorship’s genocide, the 30,000 deteined-dissapeard, and the current elements of economic continuity from that period. This date, and the response seen in Plaza de Mayo and streets across the country, demonstrates the accumulated democratic reserves that persist in the country. Yesterday’s verdict was categorical: the ultra-reactionary, fascistoid project of Milei-Bullrich and their gang faces a formidable obstacle in consolidating its orientation. But mass mobilizations don’t only send a message to the opposing camp; they also stimulate the will to fight of those who participate. They are a powerful potion of self-confidence, strength, and momentum. This is how we who participated experienced yesterday’s united action, coming out of it with renewed energy. A most welcome boost as we must face a challenge unlike any we have seen in over 40 years: the neo-fascist attempt that currently governs. The collective joy down in the Plaza was contagious. The excitement of (Nobel Peace Prize laureate) Adolfo Perez Esquivel, Elia, Estela, Taty (leaders of the three main organizations of mothers of the disappeared), and all the Mothers and Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo, on the stage above, was many times multiplied. The organizations of the EMVyJ and the Board, and all who worked to build yesterday’s massive and historic action went home highly invigorated.

The convergence that was achieved and the content of the event

It had been almost 20 years since there had been a unified March 24th. This division was not positive. The organizations that regrouped in the Memory, Truth, and Justice (EMVyJ) coalition back in 2006-2007 did so in defense of maintaining independence from the state and all governments. Those of us who are part of the coalition today did not cause this division. The Kirchnerist government did so, by pursuing a policy of state appropriation of a date that was not theirs, year after year conditioning the rallies to have them support government policy and, in election years, directly campaign for its candidates. This situation forced us and the human rights organizations that maintained their independence to organize events on this date that were clearly distinguishable from those that were identified by their components, stage, and, above all, the political message of their speeches, with the government’s policies and strategies. We sustained this practice, we defended it, and it was correct to do so. On the basis of that assessment, that history, and an understanding of the present, the majority of the EMVyJ members (more than 40 organizations) concluded that, since last year and even more so in 2025, it is key to attempt to build a diverse and united 24th.That is, to attempt to bridge the gap with the Board of Human Rights Organizations and explore the possibility of what this particular time demands for the Argentine masses: unity in the streets, in mobilized action, the strongest possible responses against the government’s libertarian project. And we did just that; we campaigned for unity on the basis of several points of reference:

● Propose a unity that does not dilute us as a particular entity.

● Defend a political message firmly against Milei-Bullrich-Villarruel and their genocide denialism, in addition to addressing social, economic, and even international issues.

● Agree on a joint organization and leadership of the entire event.

● And, obviously, preserve the unity and independence of the EMVyJ as the common heritage of all who gave everything to build and support it over almost 20 years.

To this end, we produced a document of the EMVyJ—which we all drafted together—and we presented the Board of Organizations a plan for a united Plaza with a very clear political message. This text, which was finally read on the stage, was developed within the EMVyJ to ensure that the majority’s position was expressed, while also considering a format for the presentation that included everyone.

This is how we acted. This is how we moved. And the bottom line is that the agreements that we reached were 100% fulfilled at the Plaza: the representatives of the EMVyJ and the Board of Organizations acted as a team to ensure the agreements were upheld without maneuvers or disloyalty.

The message that was read, which we share again for all who wish to read it, is unequivocal [1]:

It states that Milei and Bullrich have to go.

● It demands the declassification of archives dating back to 1974, ergo, the Triple A era (when Peronism was still in power).

● It denounces the IMF and the debt.

● It rejects DNU 70, the RIGI, and the extractivist model.

● It demands a strike and a plan of action from all labor unions.

● It expresses solidarity with the Palestinian people.

These and other very correct statements that are part of the banners that identify the EMVyJ constituted a comprehensive political message that is completely compatible with what we have been advocating over the past two decades.

In fact, the firm determination of those of us who defended this line in the EMVyJ, along with the evident crisis of Peronism, made it possible to achieve a convergence of this nature.

The MST and other forces fought alongside The EMVyJ human rights organizations for this orientation and succeeded in getting a majority of Board of Organizations members to, this time, also act in unity for a M24 policy that had nothing to do with any electoral rally, the PJ (Peronist Justice Party) or any of its wings, or the union bureaucracy.

These were some of the keys that were decisive in achieving yesterday’s strong mass action.

Two positions, two policies, two conceptions in the EMVyJ and the Left

But it’s also very important to keep in mind how those of us who were committed to the rally in the Plaza and convinced of its necessity, also made proposals to ensure the unity of the EMVyJ:

● A plan was proposed to gather together, read the EMVyJ’s document, and then march to the Plaza with liberty to participate or not.

● We didn’t obstruct that line, considering the few organizations that campaigned against unity, which were in a clear minority, with a ratio of 10 to 1, compared to those who wanted to attend the united rally we built.

Regrettably, PO-PTS, supported by IS, the NMAS, and a few other groups, didn’t accept the reality of their minority position and attempted to confuse, block, and even usurp the identity of the EMVyJ. And every one of the predictions and hypotheses they put forward proved mistaken.

The Plaza of this M24 expressed the unity of the human rights organizations, the massive popular turnout, and the powerful fact of the unity in diversity that was achieved. There was no Peronist electoral rally, no sign of the union bureaucracy, nor anything of the sort. This was evident in any minimally honest analysis of the event. Therefore, the articulation of the EMVyJ, which was the protagonist in the Plaza, emerges greatly strengthened by what was achieved.

But it is a fact that this 24th placed the positions of the main political forces of the FIT-Unidad in tension and sharp debate. And the assessment of what each did is important for all activists to identify, reflect on, and draw their own conclusions. We, logically, present the facts and our assessment:

● The PO rejected any attempt at unity from the beginning. It campaigned for two rallies and two marches, always. The division in the streets of the human rights movement is a permanent strategy for this party. It is a facet of its nature. The one it shows and proclaims: sectarianism. But the important thing is to analyze the consequence of that line, which is to hand over the initiative to the forces it claims to fight. The PO hides, refuses to contest (in this case, a unitary action in diversity), and prefers, in any case, that the EMVyJ and the left have nothing to say to the hundreds of thousands marching to the Plaza. It is content with holding its own event, for its membership, and that’s it. Staying on the sidelines without fighting. The record of what happened yesterday expresses this distortion of reality: the PO website doesn’t talk about the massive Plaza, it talks about “its own event.” For this party, the Plaza of 300 or 400,000 people didn’t exist. Its marginal event did exist, on one side of the Plaza when the crowd was gone. It’s a complete conception.

● What the PTS did was even more lamentable. In the previous meetings, in the thousands of EMVyJ forums, up until a week before the 24th, it claimed to be in favor of unity in the Plaza. It even contributed slogans that were included and read in the Plaza. What’s more, it took part in the agreement that was published to preserve a united framework for the EMVyJ, with a common gathering point, reading of the document, and a march to the Plaza with the freedom of participation. 72 hours before all this was already underway, their representatives at the EMVyJ were removed, and the national leaders of Bregman’s party appeared to issue an ultimatum: cancellation of the painstakingly achieved agreement, a seperate event in the Plaza, no reading of the document at the starting point, and a proposed schedule that would not allow the 42 members of the EMVyJ who wanted to attend the Plaza to do so. In other words, the PTS came and went several times, maneuvering, attempting to confuse, wear out, demoralize and prevent the majority of the EMVyJ from carrying out the policy of unity in diversity that we considered best for this situation. But this organization’s antics do not end there, unfortunately: already in La Izquierda Diario, reality is completely distorted and manipulated in the service of pure electoral calculations. It’s said there that there was “a united march with two documents” (?), and, curiously, on that website and in Bregman’s accounts, photos of the Unified Plaza, which they fought against until the last minute, are combined with photos of the candidate herself marching with her party after everything had ended. Unbelievable. Regrettable. Lying for electoral purposes has nothing to do with a brave, coherent, and consistent leftist position.

The role of other forces, such as IS, which was a direct supporter of the PTS-PO, or the NMAS, which, to the point of complete delirium, presents the marginal action they carried out at the end of the Mass Plaza as “a major EMVyJ event,” doesn’t deserve much attention. A parallel reality and the usurpation of the EMVyJ’s collective identity.

In short: in the EMVyJ and in the left, there were two policies, two conceptions, and two orientations. This is what we describe, as those who chose to turn their backs on a historic opportunity to contribute prominently to a politically positive action, since we managed to bring the Board of Organizations to a correct orientation of unity, breaking with the dynamics of previous years of events in which Peronism played a decisive role. This time, our MST, along with 41 other EMVyJ organizations, was an active part of what happened yesterday in Plaza de Mayo, and it will go down in history.

With the pride of having been where we needed to be

In politics, timing and the sense of opportunity are decisive. Seizing opportunities and assuming the historic responsibilities that fall to each organization is essential to influence, to weigh in, to positively influence.

We as a party, our human rights collective, CADHU (Center of Lawyers for Human Rights), were animators and promoters of the EMVyJ from its inception. We didn’t doubt it. But we never did so by celebrating the fact that there were always two events, two marches, on March 24th. But rather by assuming the need to defend an independent position in the face of the nationalization of the date. But already last year, and more so in 2025, we understood, along with the overwhelming majority of the EMVyJ, that it was essential to work for a united Plaza without losing the presence of our coalition. It was never about unity for unity’s sake. But even less so the sectarian narrow-mindedness of those who refuse to be protagonists or the speculations of those who reason based on some electoral calculation. Protagonists of unity in diversity. We dealt a severe blow to the fascist project that governs this M24. But also to those who don’t take responsibility for what they contributed to bringing it about or who have let it advance without doing much over the past 15 months. The policy we fight for (not alone, otherwise it wouldn’t have been possible), but alongside a valuable bloc of forces within the EMVyJ, is more than a circumstantial tactic: it’s the conception of a force that believes we need an anti-capitalist, socialist left, focused on class struggle (and the street struggle), but with a vocation for winning over the majority, for fighting for political presence and influence, for building something truly new to overcome Peronism as a project in all its forms.

With that vocation. With that spirit. And proudly socialist.