Updated 22:43, September 6, 2024

The Mothers of Plaza de Mayo have asked the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to grant them precautionary measures after the police blockaded their university on Monday, leaving some staff trapped inside and others unable to enter.

The human rights group states that the Milei government’s actions violate Argentina’s international commitments to academic freedom and to protect university autonomy. They have also accused the government of seeking to shut the university down.

On Monday, the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo Association warned that Federal Police officers were stationed outside their university in San Telmo, Buenos Aires, refusing to allow staff to enter the building. They said that the decision “violates university autonomy and seeks to criminalize our university’s workers.” 

The Mothers of Plaza de Mayo University was created in 2000 and offers undergraduate degrees in subjects including law, social work, and history. In July, the government took over the management of the school, appointing Eduardo Maurizzio as the new rector, tasked with auditing and “normalizing” the institution following accusations that the university had failed to comply with requirements. 

Many university staff members do not recognize Maurizzio, arguing that his predecessor Cristina Caamaño was elected in an assembly in line with the institution’s due processes, and therefore remains in the role. Maurizzio argues that the assembly that elected her was invalid.

Caamaño told the Herald that the university has not been transferred funds since the start of the year. This means staff have not been paid, and they have been unable to pay for basic services such as cleaning and internet. They also found themselves with no budget to replace expired fire extinguishers. She said Maurizzio argued that since the extinguishers were expired, it was not safe for anyone to enter the building, leading to Monday’s standoff.

“I believe they’ve been trying to asphyxiate us since the start of the year, and they couldn’t do it because the teachers came and gave classes anyway, even though they weren’t getting paid,” Caamaño told the Herald. 

In Argentina, public universities are autonomous and self-governed. Legally, police cannot enter their premises without a warrant signed by a judge. The Mothers Association also called the community to gather and protest outside the building, located on Defensa 119.

“The two things Milei hates the most are public education and human rights, and the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo National University unites them both,” Caamaño said. “It’s the only university in the Americas that has a human rights orientation in the five degrees it teaches.” 

Argentina’s Inter-University Council said on Tuesday that it was concerned for “the constant intimidatory function of the police presence” at the Mothers’ University.

The IACHR is the human rights arm of the Organization of American States. When it grants someone precautionary measures, it establishes that they are in a “serious and urgent situation” and asks the government to protect them from suffering “irreparable harm.” Anyone can request these measures for themselves or others.