No to the intervention of the Madres de Plaza de Mayo University

CLACSO joins the wave of condemnations sparked by the intervention, decided on July 25 by the Argentine government of Javier Milei, of the Madres National University of Plaza de Mayo (UNMa), which constitutes a serious violation of university autonomy.

According to a resolution from the Ministry of Human Capital, headed by Sandra Pettovello, the measure involves removing the current rector Cristina Caamaño - elected by the Sovereign Assembly of the University last March - and replacing her with Eduardo Luis Maurizzio.

In a statement, the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo Association asserted that they will resist "this fraudulent and illegitimate action together with the entire community of our University" because "the example of our children guides us and their struggle led us to create it."

Since Javier Milei arrived at the Casa Rosada on December 10, 2023, the University of the Mothers has not received a single peso of budget and, days ago, the court of first instance in the federal administrative litigation rejected a precautionary measure of the UNMa against the Ministry of Human Capital, in which it had requested that the automatic cessation of the retention of funds be ordered and claimed more than 556 million pesos owed (about 550 thousand dollars).

CLACSO has been warning for some time about the attacks suffered by universities in some countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as academics and student centers, with special concern about what is happening in Argentina since the arrival of Milei, with a sustained attack on public universities that are being deprived of budget. 

The intervention and defunding of UNMa should redouble the vigilance of the entire university community of Our America.

CLACSO Steering Committee
July 26, 2024