Former Argentine army officer to face trial in Italy for alleged murder and forced disappearances

A judge in Rome has issued an order for the trial of Lt Col Carlos Luis Malatto, a former Argentine army officer accused of committing murder and forced disappearances during Argentina’s 1976-83 military dictatorship. The charges specifically involve the premeditated killing of eight individuals. Malatto, facing accusations of crimes against humanity in Argentina, fled the country in 2011 and had been residing in a tourist village in Sicily. Despite allegations of his active participation in detention procedures and torture interrogations during the dictatorship, a trial in Argentina never commenced as accused individuals cannot be tried in absentia in the country. In 2014, Rome rejected Argentina’s extradition request, citing insufficient evidence. However, in 2015, Italy initiated an investigation against Malatto for the murders of eight people, including notable figures like Marie Anne Erize and Juan Carlos Cámpora. The revelation of Malatto’s undisturbed living in Italy stirred controversy in Argentina. Malatto’s trial is scheduled to start on April 22, with potential consequences including a life sentence if convicted. Notably, Italy has a history of dealing with cases related to South American dictatorships, exemplified by the 2019 sentencing of 24 individuals for their involvement in Operation Condor. Argentinian human rights trials have seen 1,204 convictions so far, but concerns arise with the new libertarian president, Javier Milei, expressing views that challenge the established narrative of military excesses in the 1970s. The impact of Milei’s statements on the continuity of these trials remains uncertain, as some fear reprisals from the authorities. Despite the challenges, family members of the victims, represented by NGOs like 24 Marzo, continue their pursuit of truth, memory, and justice. Viviana Arias, the daughter of a disappeared individual, emphasizes the duty of the new president to ensure the continuity of the fight for justice, even in the face of shifting public opinion regarding the historical events of the military dictatorship.