Led by Julio Herrera Vidal , president of the National Civil Association of Veteran Soldiers of the Malvinas War of the Air Force , the continental soldiers demand a recognition that they consider deserved and fair.
“We have submitted countless claims, written submissions and hearings that have been forgotten. The disconnect between the promises of Congress and the reality of our recognition is unacceptable,” Herrera Vidal said in her open letter.
The paradox that is faced is particular: while the Legislative Power awards them a medal as a symbol of decoration - in accordance with Law 23.118 - the Executive Power seems to underestimate their worth .
"It is a coming and going of recognition and neglect that raises a question: how is it possible that we are decorated and, at the same time, our existence is denied?" the leader of the association reflected in his letter.
According to Herrera Vidal , the painful process of vindication has been “ slow and furious ,” where justice has been elusive. “What we are facing is a Russian roulette of recognition,” she said. “The consequences of the war are palpable and affect everyone, without distinction,” she added, highlighting the lack of attention to the efforts of a group that, although often made invisible, was key in the conflict.
Veterans warn that their contribution cannot be minimized. “Without the participation of conscript soldiers, none of this would have been possible,” said Herrera Vidal, defending the combatant character of those who served on the continent during the conflict.
He stressed that not only the pilots , but all those who were part of the military structure played a fundamental role in the defense of the country during the most critical episodes of the conflict.
Herrera Vidal 's argument is compelling: "The capacity of the Southern Air Force was vital. The history of that war cannot be told without remembering the collective effort of all its actors, since they, from the continent, facilitated the necessary conditions for the defense," he said.
“The war was not an isolated event. We all faced the same danger, the same laws. Mere soldiers, all wearing the same shirt,” he concluded.
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