For him International LGBT Pride Day, the Municipality of Córdoba on Friday placed a rainbow flag on the main mast of the Sarmiento Park, with the intention of leaving it there permanently.
Following the official announcement, many internet users used social media to demonstrate for and against the initiative.
This Saturday afternoon, two ex-combatants from the Malvinas war came to the scene and lowered the banner: Alejandro López, ex-soldier; and Daniel Villena, NCO of the Air Force.
López spoke with The voice and he explained the reasons for his actions: “We, as war veterans, as citizens and as Argentines, have to respect our national flag. We do not consider that our flag has to be removed to put another one. It seems to me something disastrous what the Mayor. If he is a Talleres fan, then next week, will he put up a Talleres flag? This is a serious lack of respect for our fallen and our representation as Argentines. ”
In one of the videos, it is observed that while the ex-combatants lowered the flag, some people gathered around the mast to complain about it, until Police officers intervened. After the incidents, the ex-combatants went to Judicial Unit No. 4, in the same Sarmiento Park.
López said that they do not accept the rainbow flag: “It is not intolerance, it is patriotic sentiment. It is not a whim or madness. Society is with us. We are veterans who feel aggrieved by this situation. We are not discriminating against any sector : we only respect the national flag. We went to get the other flag, a flag that does not represent us, nothing more. We defended the country, and many men died to defend it. That we want to impose this, is absolutely humiliating: as Argentines, as patriots and as war veterans. “
After the ex-combatants withdrew, passers-by again raised the rainbow flag, which remains in place.
The Municipality of Córdoba issued a statement in this regard: “Tomorrow is the International Day of LGBTIQ + Pride. The flag of diversity flies in the center of Parque Sarmiento. It is our firm commitment to build a society that is increasingly inclusive, egalitarian and respectful. Municipal officials spoke this afternoon with a group of War Veterans who appeared at the scene expressing their rejection of the presence of the flag of diversity on the mast of Sarmiento Park. “
Some authorities and organizations that defend the rights of minorities repudiated the actions of war veterans. The director of Human Rights for Minorities and the Fight Against Discrimination of the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights of the province of Córdoba, Alejandro Escudero Salama, said: “Facts like what happened bring to mind years of persecution, pathologization, stigmatization and multiple naturalized violence “. And he pointed out that from that portfolio they repudiate “the attacks of those who promote practices that seek to internalize the hatred towards diversity”.
Anyway, the flag placed by the Municipality of Córdoba is not the current banner of the LGBT movement, born in California, which consists of six horizontal stripes, but the flag of Cuzco, Peru, formed by seven horizontal bands of seven imitation colors. of the rainbow. The cooperativism flag also has this shape and colors, but not that of gay pride. Later, from the municipality they rectified their error and placed the correct flag.
The controversy over the placement of the rainbow insignia in the Sarmiento Park seems to be far from resolved.
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