NATIONAL PUBLIC HOLIDAY?

In the week of the fifth anniversary of the sinking of the ARA San Juan, the families of the victims are again calling for November 15 to be declared a national public holiday to remember the 44 crew members of the submarine. Even if such petitions go back to 2020, there has been no advance until now at either provincial (Buenos Aires) or national level.

“We need the people to accompany us and not forget the 44 people aboard the ARA San Juan. We therefore repeat our appeal for every November 15 be a national public holiday so that on that day we Argentines can unite in their memory and give perpetuity to their sacrifice,” Luis Tagliapietra, father of one of the 44 dead sailors, told a radio station, adding: “Between us all we must keep alive their memory, their values and their principles, which, like them, make this nation great, as requested by the families of the crew members.”

In October, 2020, families of the victims posted a petition on Change.org, which drew over 19,000 signatures.

Tagliapietra further commented that while every day is difficult, “certain dates become much harder. I could not mourn, it’s very difficult when you have no certainty, no answers, no support and contention. If in addition they attack, persecute and mistreat you, spying on you, it is still more complicated.”

On November 15, 2017, the submarine was in South Atlantic waters and, after an implosion, was found just over a year later (in the small hours of November 17, 2018) at the latitude of San Jorge gulf 597 kilometres off the city of Comodoro Rivadavia.