Eight missing persons whose remains were found at the site of the former clandestine detention center CCD La Perla were announced during a press conference at the Federal Courts of Córdoba. With these new identifications, a total of 38 missing persons have now been found and identified by the EAAF (Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team) this year in Córdoba.
The names of the newly identified individuals are: Néstor Albino Acosta, Pascual Delfín Ludueña, Claudio Norberto Nardini, Cecilia Alicia Pessina de Ávila, Mónica Protti de Guillén, Mercedes del Valle Ramírez, María Luisa Salto, and Juan Carlos Soulier. Alejandro Jesús Jerez Boderau, who was identified last August, was also announced during the press conference.
The press conference was attended by relatives of the identified individuals, Federal Judge Hugo Vaca Narvaja, EAAF researcher Silvana Turner, EAAF geneticist Laura Catelli, the head of the Anthropology Service of the Córdoba Judiciary Anahí Ginarte, and EAAF consulting geologist Guillermo Sagripanti.
Rosa Miriam Ludueña, niece of Pascual Delfín, stated: “I believe this is the time when truth is no longer tied down; it is free, and this truth brings us closer to peace, justice, and honoring life. It also awakens the consciences of dormant people to say Never Again.”
Sebastián Soulier, son of Juan Carlos, affirmed: “After 50 years, the earth is starting to give them back to us. There are 38 identities returning to their families. Finding them is like a caress to the soul in these such hard times.”
“After 50 years, it is a joy to recover a little bit of her and be able to take her to Cipolletti,” shared María Mercedes Santo, sister of María Luisa Salto.
“Last week, this news that I was not expecting surprised me incredibly. I thought Cecilia had been buried in another place, because no one saw her pass through La Perla. The discovery moved and surprised me. They found a tiny bone, it’s the metacarpal of the right hand. I call it ‘the bone that speaks.’ The bone tells me that proof appeared that she was kidnapped and murdered. The bone keeps talking,” said Graciela, sister of Cecilia Pessina de Ávila.