Esther Norma Arrostito
Encyclopedia
Esther Norma Arrostito was an Argentine political activist and leftist militant, initially close to communist ideology. In 1970, she became one of the founders of the peronist
revolutionary movement Montoneros
along with Fernando Abal Medina, who developed a romantic relationship with her. She played a key role in the kidnapping and killing of General Pedro Eugenio Aramburu
.
, the daughter of a middle-class couple, and grew up in a leftist background, ideologically opposed to Peronism. She graduated as an elementary school teacher and married a communist militant, Rubén Ricardo Roitvan. She later became a hard-line militant under the influence of a left-wing Peronist leader of Irish ancestry, John William Cooke. Arrostito was the only founder of Montoneros with neither Catholic nor Nationalist affiliation.
, where she met Mario Eduardo Firmenich, Carlos Ramus and Fernando Abal Medina. She fell in love with the latter, despite being seven years older than he was, and broke her relationship with Roitvan. They were trained in guerrilla warfare in Cuba
during 1968, and back in Argentina they split from the Comando Camilo Torres to create a new cell. They were joined by Nélida Arrostito, a sister of Norma and her husband, Carlos Alberto Maguid. Her nom de guerre was Gaby (shortened form of the name Gabriela) or Gaviota (seagull). The organization carried out in a series of operations against the security forces, which ended on 1 June 1970 in the kidnapping and murder of General Pedro Eugenio Aramburu
, a former de facto President and one of the leaders of the Revolución Libertadora
which overthrew Perón in 1955. Norma played a supporting role during the kidnapping and she wrote and sent "dispatches" to the media updating the process of "trial" and "execution" of Aramburu. This operation, code named Pindapoy, marked the first public action of Montoneros. Argentina was then under military rule, but the return of Peron to power was a matter of time. The death of Aramburu prompted the fall of president Juan Carlos Onganía
and triggered a huge manhunt of suspected terrorists. On 20 September, a police raid caught Ramus and Abal Medina in a restaurant in William Morris
, a neighborhood in the western outskirts of Buenos Aires, killing both of them after a brief shootout. After Abal Medina's death, Arrostito was known inside the organisation as la viuda (the widow).
, who had won the presidential elections of 1973. She became staff supervisor of Oscar Bidegain, Governor of Buenos Aires Province
and sympathizer of Montoneros ideology. On 3 September 1973, the magazine La Causa Peronista published an interview with Arrostito and Firmenich where they described in detail the kidnapping and assassination of Aramburu.
speech, Perón took sides and denounced Montoneros as imberbes (chinless brats) and mercenaries to the service of foreign interests. The organisation was proscribed after Perón's death in July, and by September Norma and his companions were forced to live in hideouts and to meet in secret. Meanwhile, the guerrilla operations against security forces reached its climax in 1975. On 24 March 1976, a military coup
overthrew president Isabel Perón. The armed forces stepped up the repression not only of leftist guerrillas, but also of their affiliates and even relatives. Arrostito was reported shot and killed after a fierce firefight with an army patrol on 2 December 1976. The truth was that Norma was captured alive and illegally imprisoned at the Navy's school of mechanical engineering, the ESMA
(Escuela de Mecánica de la Armada). The military faked her death in order to keep Montoneros in the belief that a lot of compromising information had been lost with her. Arrostito, however, endured more than a year of torture and humiliation without betraying her camarades. She was eventually killed by a lethal injection of pentothal
on 15 January 1978. Her body was never found.
Peronism
Peronism , or Justicialism , is an Argentine political movement based on the programmes associated with former President Juan Perón and his second wife, Eva Perón...
revolutionary movement Montoneros
Montoneros
Montoneros was an Argentine Peronist urban guerrilla group, active during the 1960s and 1970s. The name is an allusion to 19th century Argentinian history. After Juan Perón's return from 18 years of exile and the 1973 Ezeiza massacre, which marked the definitive split between left and right-wing...
along with Fernando Abal Medina, who developed a romantic relationship with her. She played a key role in the kidnapping and killing of General Pedro Eugenio Aramburu
Pedro Eugenio Aramburu
Pedro Eugenio Aramburu Silveti was an Argentine Army General. Born in Río Cuarto, Córdoba on May 21, 1903. He was a major figure behind the military coup against Juan Perón in 1955. He became de facto president of Argentina from November 13, 1955 to May 1, 1958...
.
Early years
Arrostito was born in Buenos AiresBuenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, the daughter of a middle-class couple, and grew up in a leftist background, ideologically opposed to Peronism. She graduated as an elementary school teacher and married a communist militant, Rubén Ricardo Roitvan. She later became a hard-line militant under the influence of a left-wing Peronist leader of Irish ancestry, John William Cooke. Arrostito was the only founder of Montoneros with neither Catholic nor Nationalist affiliation.
Killing of Aramburu
Norma Arrostito left the communist party on 1967, and joined the organization Comando Camilo TorresCamilo Torres Restrepo
Father Camilo Torres Restrepo was a Colombian socialist, Roman Catholic priest, a predecessor of liberation theology and a member of the National Liberation Army guerrilla organisation...
, where she met Mario Eduardo Firmenich, Carlos Ramus and Fernando Abal Medina. She fell in love with the latter, despite being seven years older than he was, and broke her relationship with Roitvan. They were trained in guerrilla warfare in Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
during 1968, and back in Argentina they split from the Comando Camilo Torres to create a new cell. They were joined by Nélida Arrostito, a sister of Norma and her husband, Carlos Alberto Maguid. Her nom de guerre was Gaby (shortened form of the name Gabriela) or Gaviota (seagull). The organization carried out in a series of operations against the security forces, which ended on 1 June 1970 in the kidnapping and murder of General Pedro Eugenio Aramburu
Pedro Eugenio Aramburu
Pedro Eugenio Aramburu Silveti was an Argentine Army General. Born in Río Cuarto, Córdoba on May 21, 1903. He was a major figure behind the military coup against Juan Perón in 1955. He became de facto president of Argentina from November 13, 1955 to May 1, 1958...
, a former de facto President and one of the leaders of the Revolución Libertadora
Revolución Libertadora
The Revolución Libertadora was a military uprising that ended the second presidential term of Juan Perón in Argentina, on September 16, 1955.-History:...
which overthrew Perón in 1955. Norma played a supporting role during the kidnapping and she wrote and sent "dispatches" to the media updating the process of "trial" and "execution" of Aramburu. This operation, code named Pindapoy, marked the first public action of Montoneros. Argentina was then under military rule, but the return of Peron to power was a matter of time. The death of Aramburu prompted the fall of president Juan Carlos Onganía
Juan Carlos Onganía
Juan Carlos Onganía Carballo was de facto president of Argentina from 29 June 1966 to 8 June 1970. He rose to power as military dictator after toppling, in a coup d’état self-named Revolución Argentina , the democratically elected president Arturo Illia .-Economic and social...
and triggered a huge manhunt of suspected terrorists. On 20 September, a police raid caught Ramus and Abal Medina in a restaurant in William Morris
William C. Morris, Buenos Aires
William C. Morris is a town in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. It forms part of the Greater Buenos Aires metropolitan area and is located in the Hurlingham Partido.- Name :...
, a neighborhood in the western outskirts of Buenos Aires, killing both of them after a brief shootout. After Abal Medina's death, Arrostito was known inside the organisation as la viuda (the widow).
Amnesty
After the military departed from power, Arrostito and her camarades of Montoneros were granted an amnesty by a decree of Héctor José CámporaHéctor José Cámpora
Héctor José Cámpora Demaestre was president of Argentina from 25 May until 13 July 1973.Cámpora, affectionately known as el Tío , was born in the city of Mercedes, in the Province of Buenos Aires...
, who had won the presidential elections of 1973. She became staff supervisor of Oscar Bidegain, Governor of Buenos Aires Province
Buenos Aires Province
The Province of Buenos Aires is the largest and most populous province of Argentina. It takes the name from the city of Buenos Aires, which used to be the provincial capital until it was federalized in 1880...
and sympathizer of Montoneros ideology. On 3 September 1973, the magazine La Causa Peronista published an interview with Arrostito and Firmenich where they described in detail the kidnapping and assassination of Aramburu.
Clandestinity and death
During Perón's last term (1973–1974), the relationship between the right wing of the party and leftist organisations, including Montoneros strained to the point of no return. In his May DayMay Day
May Day on May 1 is an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival and usually a public holiday; it is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures....
speech, Perón took sides and denounced Montoneros as imberbes (chinless brats) and mercenaries to the service of foreign interests. The organisation was proscribed after Perón's death in July, and by September Norma and his companions were forced to live in hideouts and to meet in secret. Meanwhile, the guerrilla operations against security forces reached its climax in 1975. On 24 March 1976, a military coup
overthrew president Isabel Perón. The armed forces stepped up the repression not only of leftist guerrillas, but also of their affiliates and even relatives. Arrostito was reported shot and killed after a fierce firefight with an army patrol on 2 December 1976. The truth was that Norma was captured alive and illegally imprisoned at the Navy's school of mechanical engineering, the ESMA
ESMA
The Navy Petty-Officers School of Mechanics , commonly referred to by its abbreviation ESMA, is a facility of the Argentine Navy that was employed as an illegal detention center during the dictatorial rule of the National Reorganization Process...
(Escuela de Mecánica de la Armada). The military faked her death in order to keep Montoneros in the belief that a lot of compromising information had been lost with her. Arrostito, however, endured more than a year of torture and humiliation without betraying her camarades. She was eventually killed by a lethal injection of pentothal
Sodium thiopental
Sodium thiopental, better known as Sodium Pentothal , thiopental, thiopentone sodium, or Trapanal , is a rapid-onset short-acting barbiturate general anaesthetic...
on 15 January 1978. Her body was never found.
Biography
- Saidon, Gabriela: La montonera: Biografía de Norma Arrostito. Editorial Sudamericana, 2005. ISBN 9500726599
- A 2008 movie La Gaby by César D’Angiolillo is based on her biography, with Arrostito being played by Julieta DíazJulieta DíazJulieta Díaz is an Argentine film, television, and theatre actress. She began her career at age 13.Díaz works in the cinema of Argentina.-Filmography:* Lobos marinos * Déjala correr...
. The screenwriter is Cristina Zucker, sister of Montoneros member Ricardo Zucker and daughter of the late actor Marcos ZuckerMarcos ZuckerMarcos Zucker was an Argentine actor of Polish-Jewish descent, known for his work on stage, television, and in films, he is best known for his comedic roles and appeared in 66 films.- Biography :...
.