The years between 1976 and 1983 constitute a very painful era in the history (and memory) of Argentina. The events that took place in this period constitute what is now commonly known as la Guerra Sucia, or the “Dirty War.” This paper will discuss this period of Argentinean history that was marked by the vicious repression and brutal intimidation of the opponents and of the “subversives” at the hands of the military government. The state authorities, confronted with the political resistance of the Marxist-Leninist guerillas, unleashed a campaign of terror against the citizenry with impunity.

Violence, repression, torture, rape, abduction, disappearance, self-censorship, and exile are some of the key words that are associated with the guerra sucia.