Argentina coup anniversary reopens old wounds

Nearly 40 years after Jorge Videla seized power, some questions his ties to church.

The election of Pope Francis, an Argentinian, has renewed questions in Argentina about the role of the Catholic Church during the country’s period of dictatorship under Jorge Rafael Videla’s rule.

Sunday marks the 37th anniversary of a military coup that resulted in Videla’s leadership, during which the country saw widespread forced disappearances, torture and the murder of activists and political opponents. 

Many Argentinians continue to accuse the church of siding with the government from 1976 to 1981 and not showing enough opposition to the rights abuses.

Al Jazeera’s Teresa Bo reports from Buenos Aires. 

Source: Al Jazeera