16/06/2026 03:04 - Actualidad
Homenaje fúnebre con pañuelos blancos sobre féretro en sala de velatorio en Buenos Aires, fotografía de Taty Almeida sonriendo, velas encendidas y flores alrededor, ambiente respetuoso y emocionante
Hundreds of people gathered on Monday for a public wake held at the headquarters of the telephone workers' union (Foetra) in Buenos Aires to say goodbye to Taty Almeida, a historic leader of the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, who passed away on Sunday, June 14, 2026 at the age of 95.
Her closed casket, adorned with a photograph showing her smiling, was covered with white handkerchiefs—the iconic symbol of Argentina's human rights movement—and personal items left by mourners throughout the day. The atmosphere was described as "moderately festive," with music and spontaneous tributes from friends and fellow activists.
Lidia Stella Mercedes Miy Uranga de Almeida, popularly known as "Taty," was born on February 8, 1931. Her commitment to human rights began after the kidnapping of her son Alejandro Almeida on June 17, 1975, when he was just 20 years old.
Alejandro was a medical student and member of the ERP (People's Revolutionary Army), a leftist guerrilla organization. He was kidnapped by the Triple A (Argentine Anticommunist Alliance)—a right-wing death squad operating during the government of Isabel Martínez de Perón. Taty searched tirelessly for him until her final days, though she never found his remains.
She joined the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo in 1979 and became president of the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo Founding Line, maintaining her struggle for over four decades.
The Mothers of Plaza de Mayo formed as an organization in 1977 during Argentina's last military dictatorship (1976-1983). This dark period in Argentine history saw the forced disappearance of an estimated 30,000 people—students, activists, intellectuals, and ordinary citizens—by the military regime.
The white handkerchief became their emblematic symbol, representing the fight for truth and justice. The motto "Memory, Truth, and Justice" guides the movement to this day.
With Taty's passing, the number of original founding members continues to diminish. The phrase she herself pronounced in March 2026 resonates powerfully: "Only three mothers remain, nothing more, and two grandmothers."
Fabiana Almeida, Taty's daughter, spoke at an improvised press conference outside Foetra: "Comrades, what she wanted was unity. We must unite to remove this terrible government, for which they are not solely responsible."
About her disappeared brother, she added: "Mom always said 'I don't want to die before finding Ale's bones.' She never found them. These wretched people never spoke, never said where they threw him or where he is."
Estela de Carlotto, head of the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo—an organization dedicated to finding children stolen during the dictatorship—expressed her grief: "I can't bear the idea of not seeing her or not being where she is." Carlotto, also 95 years old, recalled decades of shared struggle: "We've had so many activities together, to laugh, to cry, and even to get angry with each other because sometimes we said different things."
In April 2026, Taty Almeida received an honorary doctorate from the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) in recognition of her trajectory defending human rights.
She actively participated in the march of March 24, 2026, commemorating 50 years since the military coup, where she publicly denounced the denialist discourse of the national government.
Her most emblematic phrase remains the movement's banner: "The only struggle that is lost is the one that is abandoned."
Taty Almeida's family communicated that she had requested that, instead of flowers, those wishing to honor her make donations to the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo cause.
Numerous political and social leaders attended the wake, including:
Source: Rosario3
Alfredo S. Quiroga
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