View source for Estela de Carlotto

{{Short description|Argentine human rights activist (born 1930)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{family name hatnote|Barnes|Carlotto|lang=Argentine}}
{{Infobox person
| name                  = Estela de Carlotto
| image                 = Estela de Carlotto (2015) (cropped).jpg
| image_size            =
| caption               =
| birth_name            = Enriqueta Estela Barnes
| birth_date            = {{birth date and age|1930|10|22|df=yes}}
| birth_place           = [[Buenos Aires]], Argentina
| occupation            = President of the Association of [[Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo]]
| years_active          =
| spouse                = {{marriage|Guido Carlotto||2001|end=d}}
| alma_mater            =
| signature             =
| website               =
}}
'''Enriqueta Estela Barnes de Carlotto''' (born 22 October 1930) is an Argentine [[human rights]] activist and president of the association of [[Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo]]. One of her daughters, [[Laura Estela Carlotto]], was [[Enforced disappearances in Argentina|kidnapped and missing]] while pregnant in Buenos Aires, in late 1977. Through stories, she could ascertain that her daughter had given birth to a boy, and that her grandson was appropriated and his identity changed. She searched for him for nearly 36 years,<ref name = nacdos>{{cite news |url=http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1715975-estela-de-carlotto-recupero-a-su-nieto-guido-tras-35-anos-de-busqueda |title=Estela de Carlotto recovered her grandson Guido after 35 years of searching |newspaper=[[La Nación|La Nación (newspaper)]] |date=5 August 2014 |access-date=11 May 2016 |archive-date=30 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180330225530/https://www.lanacion.com.ar/1715975-estela-de-carlotto-recupero-a-su-nieto-guido-tras-35-anos-de-busqueda |url-status=dead }}</ref> until, on 5 August 2014, after a [[DNA]] check voluntarily made by the person concerned, her grandson was identified, and became the 114th in the list of recovered grandchildren.<ref name=minuto>{{cite web|url=http://www.minutouno.com/notas/332120-ignacio-hurban-el-nieto-recuperado-numero-114-el-nieto-estela-carlotto | title = Ignacio Hurban, 114th recovered grandson, the grandson of Estela de Carlotto | date = August 6, 2014 | publisher = MinutoUno.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Estela: "He search at me and I did not want to die without embrace him"|url=http://www.infojusnoticias.gov.ar/nacionales/encontraron-al-nieto-de-estela-de-carlotto-5106.html|date=5 August 2014 | publisher =Infojus Noticias [[Ministry of Justice and Human Rights (Argentina)|Ministry of Justice and Human Rights]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| title = Estela de Carlotto found her grandson, Guido, after 36 years of searching| url = http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1715975-estela-de-carlotto-recupero-a-su-nieto-guido| date = 5 August 2014| newspaper = [[La Nación|La Nación (newspaper)]]| access-date = 11 May 2016| archive-date = 2 August 2018| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180802071300/https://www.lanacion.com.ar/1715975-estela-de-carlotto-recupero-a-su-nieto-guido| url-status = dead}}</ref>
Carlotto has received several awards for her work with Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo (Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo), including the [[United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights]] and [[Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize]], awarded by the [[Unesco]]. In 2015, she was listed as one of [[100 Women (BBC)|BBC's 100 Women]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-34745739|title=BBC 100 Women 2015: Who is on the list?|date=17 November 2015|work=BBC News|access-date=3 August 2019|language=en-GB}}</ref>
== Biography ==
Enriqueta Estela Barnes was born on 22 October 1930, in Buenos Aires, to a family of [[English people|English]] descent. She married Guido Carlotto, an industrial labourer of Italian descent, with whom she had four children. She was an elementary school teacher.<ref>{{cite web | title = Alone with Carlotto | url = http://www.lanacion.com.ar/860717-a-solas-con-carlotto | author = Valeria Shapira | date = 26 November 2006 | publisher = LNR (Sunday supplement of [[La Nación|La Nación newspaper]]) | access-date = 7 August 2014 | archive-date = 3 March 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160303191557/http://www.lanacion.com.ar/860717-a-solas-con-carlotto | url-status = dead }}</ref>
In the 1970s, when the self-appointed civil-military dictatorship [[National Reorganization Process]] ruled the country (1976-1983), three of her children were involved in politics: Laura Estela, a student of history at the [[National University of La Plata]], was a [[Peronist]] militant, Claudia belonged to the [[Peronist University Youth]] and Guido Miguel integrated the student center of his high school.<ref>{{cite news | author = Ana María Mariani | title = The identity is a right | url = http://archivo.lavoz.com.ar/2003/0126/suplementos/temas/nota143738_1.htm | date = January 26, 2003 | newspaper = [[La Voz del Interior]]}}</ref> On 5 August 1977, the [[Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic|armed forces]] kidnapped and tortured her husband, who was freed after payment of 40 million pesos (equivalent to 30,000 dollars at that time).<ref name=Entrevista>{{Cite web | title = Interview with Estela Carlotto | author = Ayes Libros | publisher = Ayes Libros | url = http://www.ayeshalibros.com.ar/anteriores/reportajes/reportajesestelacarlotto.htm | accessdate = January 10, 2008 | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080202131050/http://www.ayeshalibros.com.ar/anteriores/reportajes/reportajesestelacarlotto.htm | archivedate = February 2, 2008 }}</ref>
[[File:Kirchner con Abuelas y nietos recuperados.jpg|thumb|300px|Carlotto and other reunited [[Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo|grandmothers]] and grandchildren gathered in 2011 with President [[Cristina Fernández de Kirchner|Cristina Kirchner]] in the house of [[Miguel Ángel Estrella]] in Paris]]
In late November 1977, Laura, who was three months pregnant, was kidnapped and taken to [[clandestine detention center (Argentina)|clandestine detention center]] [[La Cacha]] in [[La Plata]],<ref name="lacacha">{{cite web | author = | url = http://www.desaparecidos.org/arg/centros/cacha/ | title = La Cacha | publisher = www.desaparecidos.org | date = | accessdate = 28 October 2014}}</ref> until the end of August 1978. Shortly before the childbirth, she was taken to an unspecified location—there are disputes on which place—and gave birth on 26 June 1978. Some testimonies collected determined that the place could have been the [[Hospital Militar Central Cirujano Mayor Dr. Cosme Argerich|Military Hospital in Buenos Aires]].<ref>{{cite news | author = Victoria Ginzberg | title = Missing pregnant in the Regiment in Palermo | url = http://www.pagina12.com.ar/2000/00-09/00-09-21/pag10.htm | date = September 21, 2000 | newspaper = [[Página/12]]}}</ref><ref>Gilbert; Vitagliano, p. 226</ref> But from the restoration of the true identity of her child, there are strong suspicions that the baby could have been born in the vicinity of La Cacha or in a hospital in the province of Buenos Aires.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.infojusnoticias.gov.ar/nacionales/se-afianza-la-hipotesis-de-que-el-bebe-de-laura-carlotto-nacio-en-la-cacha-5222.html |title=It strengthens the hypothesis that the baby of Laura Carlotto was born in La Cacha |publisher=Infojus Noticias |date=August 14, 2014 |url-status=unfit |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151122075834/http://www.infojusnoticias.gov.ar/nacionales/se-afianza-la-hipotesis-de-que-el-bebe-de-laura-carlotto-nacio-en-la-cacha-5222.html |archivedate=November 22, 2015 }}</ref>
Carlotto made arrangements for her daughter's freedom, and came to meet with the general [[Reynaldo Bignone]], who told her that Laura would not stay alive.<ref>Lebon; Maier, p. 135</ref>
In April 1978, a companion of her daughter in captivity who had been freed, informed her that Laura was still alive and pregnant.<ref name=Entrevista/>
{{Blockquote | Laura wanted us to know that they were feeding her a little bit better and that the baby would be born in June of that year, and if it were a boy they would call him Guido, like his dad. And that I should search for him at the Casa Cuna orphanage |Estela de Carlotto<ref name=Entrevista/>}}
Carlotto and her family always called the baby Guido, because that was the name his mother wanted for him.<ref name="nombre">{{cite news |url=http://www.lagaceta.com.ar/nota/603591/politica/mi-nieto-se-va-poner-ignacio-guido-conto-estela-carlotto.html |title='Mi nieto se va a poner Ignacio Guido', contó Estela de Carlotto |trans-title='My grandson is going to get Ignacio Guido', said Estela de Carlotto | newspaper= [[La Gaceta de Tucumán]] |language=es | date = August 15, 2014 | accessdate = 27 September 2014}}</ref>
In April 1978, Carlotto began to participate in the activities of [[Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo]].<ref name=Entrevista/>
On 25 August of that year, she was summoned by the military and was handed the dead body of her daughter, who was buried in La Plata two days later. It was one of the few cases where a missing body was returned to a family. Carlotto retired on 30 August.<ref name=Chasque>{{Cite web | title = Interview with Estela Carlotto | author = Gabriela Castori | publisher = El Mensajero, n.º&nbsp;3, 1999 | url = http://www.chasque.net/umbrales/rev110/estela.html | access-date = 10 January 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071007082208/http://www.chasque.net/umbrales/rev110/estela.html | archive-date = 7 October 2007 | url-status = dead }}</ref>
===Activism===
[[File:ESTELA DE CARLOTTO Y SU NIETO VISITAN ECUADOR (15512583446).jpg|thumb|250px|Estela with her grandson, Ignacio (Guido Montoya Carlotto) Hurban]]
Retired from her post as principal since 30 August 1978, Mrs. Carlotto became a member of the ''Abuelas Argentinas con Nietitos Desaparecidos'' (Argentine Grandmothers with Missing Grandchildren) by April 1979. She then began to seek and demand the release of her grandson and other children kidnapped or disappeared by military forces during the military dictatorship. The group, founded by Alicia de la Cuadra and 11 other grandmothers in a similar situation in 1977, was renamed the [[Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo|Association of Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo]] in 1980. Mrs. Carlotto became its vice president, and in 1989 its president.<ref name=monitor>[http://www.me.gov.ar/monitor/nro6/entrevista.htm ''El Monitor'' (Ministerio de Educación): La larga lucha contra el silencio] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629214454/http://www.me.gov.ar/monitor/nro6/entrevista.htm |date=29 June 2011}} {{in lang|es}}</ref>
Her search for information led her to [[São Paulo]], Brazil, in 1980, where women whose children and/or grandchildren had met similar fates had organized ''CLAMOR'', a group dedicated to raising public awareness of ongoing abuses. While in São Paulo, she was told by a La Cacha prison survivor of a woman known as "Rita" whose father owned a paint store, had had a baby boy, and was released with "Carlos" on 24 August 1978. The anecdote led Mrs. Carlotto to believe that her daughter had been killed upon her release.<ref name=libros>[http://www.ayeshalibros.com.ar/anteriores/reportajes/reportajesestelacarlotto.htm Margulis, Alejandro: Estela de Carlotto, presidenta de Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080202131050/http://www.ayeshalibros.com.ar/anteriores/reportajes/reportajesestelacarlotto.htm |date=2 February 2008}} {{in lang|es}}</ref>
An estimated 500 children were either kidnapped or seized at birth from women in detention during the Dirty War. The vast majority were given or sold to adoptive parents, including numerous perpetrators and accomplices in the murder of their biological parents.<ref name=monitor/><ref name=eudeba>{{Cite web |url=http://conadi.jus.gov.ar/gsdl/cgi-bin/library?e=q-000-00---0libros--00-0-0-0prompt-10---4----stx--0-1l--1-es-50---20-about-Nosiglia--00001-001-1-0utfZz-8-0&a=d&c=libros&cl=search&d=HASHdd3e0f3ff6f2cc17950fdf.5.2 |title=Arditti, Rita, and Lykes, M. Brinton. ''Restitución de niños: La labor de las Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo'' Eudeba, 1989. |access-date=12 February 2011 |archive-date=27 November 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121127120524/http://conadi.jus.gov.ar/gsdl/cgi-bin/library?e=q-000-00---0libros--00-0-0-0prompt-10---4----stx--0-1l--1-es-50---20-about-Nosiglia--00001-001-1-0utfZz-8-0&a=d&c=libros&cl=search&d=HASHdd3e0f3ff6f2cc17950fdf.5.2 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo located the first missing grandchild in 1984. They secured the establishment of the National Genetic Data Bank for Relatives of Disappeared Children in 1987,<ref name=eudeba/> and the National Commission for the Right of Identity, an office tasked with facilitating answers to those who doubt the nature of their adoptions, in 1992.<ref>[http://www.abuelas.org.ar/english/history.htm Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo: History] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060207000346/http://www.abuelas.org.ar/english/history.htm |date=7 February 2006}}</ref> Mrs. Carlotto announced the discovery of the 100th grandchild on 21 December 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/elpais/1-137437-2009-12-22.html|title=Con el nombre del padre confirmado|work=Página/12|date=22 Dec 2009}}</ref>
Guido Carlotto, her husband, died in La Plata on 21 October 2001.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eldia.com.ar/ediciones/20011024/funebres.asp|title= Avisos Fúnebres|work=El Día|date=24 Oct 2001}}</ref> Estela Barnes de Carlotto earned the [[United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights]] in 2003. She, with President [[Cristina Fernández de Kirchner]], inaugurated the ''Jardin des Mères et Grand-mères de la Place de Mai'' in [[Paris]], in 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.radiorebelde.icrt.cu/noticias/mundo/mundo-4-140408.html|title=París cuenta con un Jardín Madres y Abuelas Plaza de Mayo|work=Radio Rebelde|date=14 Apr 2008}}</ref> Filmmaker [[Nicolás Gil Lavedra]] began production on a [[biopic|biographical film]], ''Estela'', in 2011, starring [[Susú Pecoraro]] as the renowned activist.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/suplementos/espectaculos/5-20695-2011-02-06.html|title=Abrazar a Susú es como abrazar a una hija querida|work=Página/12|date=6 Feb 2011}}</ref>
Mrs. Carlotto announced on 5 August 2014, that her long-lost grandson had been discovered after he voluntarily came forward for a [[DNA test]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://buenosairesherald.com/article/166359/grandmothers-president-recovers-grandson-taken-away-under-dictatorship|title=Grandmothers' president recovers grandson taken away under dictatorship|work=Buenos Aires Herald|date=5 Aug 2014}}</ref> Her grandson, named Ignacio Hurban—later Ignacio Montoya Carlotto, taking the last names of his biological mother and father<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/12/us/children-of-argentinas-disappeared-reclaim-past-with-help.html|title=Children of Argentina's 'Disappeared' Reclaim Past, With Help|access-date=2018-07-01|language=en}}</ref>—leads a [[jazz]] orchestra and directs the Rossi Brothers School of Music in [[Olavarría]]; he thus became the 114th grandchild to have his true identity discovered by the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.infonews.com/2014/08/05/politica-156495-quien-es-ignacio-hurban-el-nieto-recuperado-de-estela-el-nieto-de-estela-derechos-humanos.php|title=Quién es Ignacio Hurban, el nieto recuperado de Estela|work=InfoNews|date=5 Aug 2014|language=Spanish|access-date=5 August 2014|archive-date=7 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140807235352/http://www.infonews.com/2014/08/05/politica-156495-quien-es-ignacio-hurban-el-nieto-recuperado-de-estela-el-nieto-de-estela-derechos-humanos.php|url-status=dead}}</ref> Shortly after his public appearance, Hurban changed his name to Ignacio Guido Montoya Carlotto.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nyu.edu/buenos-aires/nyu-buenos-aires-events/previous-events/20160/music-and-identity.html|title=Music and Identity: Dialogue with Ignacio Montoya Carlotto & NYUBA Prof. Juan Raffo, Prof. Cecilia Palmeiro and students|work=NYU Buenos Aires|date=22 Nov 2016}}</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* [http://www.abuelas.org.ar/ Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo/Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo Official Site] Abuelas.org {{in lang|es}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carlotto, Estela De}}
[[Category:1930 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Activists from Buenos Aires]]
[[Category:Argentine people of English descent]]
[[Category:Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo]]
[[Category:Argentine human rights activists]]
[[Category:Argentine educators]]
[[Category:Argentine women human rights activists]]
[[Category:20th-century Argentine women educators]]
[[Category:20th-century Argentine educators]]
[[Category:21st-century Argentine women educators]]
[[Category:21st-century Argentine educators]]
[[Category:National University of La Plata alumni]]