Fifteen Argentine veterans traveled to Lima on an unprecedented mission of gratitude : to honor the support Peru provided during the 1982 war . As a symbol of brotherhood , the delegation—which financed the trip with its own resources—will participate in the Peruvian national celebrations , paying off a 43-year debt . A reunion that declassifies stories of courage and trans-Andean solidarity .

Under the constitutional government of Fernando Belaúnde Terry , Peru defied international pressure to back Argentina in 1982. Not only did it comply with the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance (TIAR) , but it also carried out covert operations : ten Mirage 5P aircraft were repainted with Argentine insignia at the Chiclayo base and flown in May 1982 from La Joya (Arequipa) to Jujuy, flying at 33,000 feet in radio silence to evade Chilean radar.

A Hercules aircraft transported AS-30 air-to-surface missiles and ammunition , using Aeroperú civilian registration plates as camouflage. This support—revealed in documents declassified in 2024 —included training for Argentine pilots by Peruvian instructors such as Major Aurelio Crovetto, who remained in Argentina until the end of the conflict.

Peruvian solidarity transcended the material. Gonzalo Tueros, a lieutenant in the Peruvian Air Force (FAP) , led a group of pilots who volunteered to fight in the Malvinas without a Peruvian uniform , avoiding official involvement of their country.

After delivering the Mirages in Jujuy , Tueros insisted: "We want to go to the islands." The proposal was rejected so as not to expose Peru to British repercussions , but the gesture remained etched in the veterans' memories .

In Lima, the Argentine embassy received hundreds of Peruvian civilians willing to enlist . Forty years later, in 2022, Ambassador Enrique Vaca Narvaja launched a campaign to reconstruct that list of volunteers and publicly thank them .

On June 6, 1982 , Argentine Commodore Luis Puga —recently ejected from his plane in the Malvinas —secretly greeted the Peruvian pilots in Jujuy . "They got out of their planes and we embraced," he would recall decades later.

During an impromptu lunch , the Peruvians recounted the risks of the flight : limited fuel, uncharted routes , and extra tanks to avoid stopovers . An unforeseen event delayed the operation: the Mirage's fuel was incompatible with Argentine systems, requiring an emergency supply . Among those present was Pedro Seabra Pinedo, one of the ten FAP pilots whose names were recovered by journalistic investigations in 2022 .

Neither saw combat— the war ended eight days later —but their logistical feat bolstered the air defense of Patagonia .

Veterans visiting Peru travel loaded with symbols : a flag signed by deceased comrades and copies of declassified documents that validate Peruvian support.

They will participate in the national anniversary parade this Tuesday, July 29, where they will march alongside Peruvian veterans . "We're going to represent those who remained in the Malvinas, our eternal heroes," says Mantello.

The trip also honors Belaúnde Terry , whose government assumed the political cost of solidarity : in 1982, France embargoed Exocet missiles destined for Peru , suspecting they were being transported to Argentina .

This trip not only settles a debt : it vindicates a Latin American ethic where solidarity prevails over political calculation . As Eduardo Galeano wrote, "Charity is vertical; solidarity is horizontal."

The Argentine veterans and their Peruvian brothers —pilots, mechanics, anonymous citizens —embody that principle . Their reunion in Lima proves that, even in war, dignity builds bridges more lasting than trenches .

In an interview with Radio del Mar , Luis Agüero, president of the Union of Malvinas War Veterans , shared his experience: “Since we arrived at the hotel, we've received wonderful service ; we had a great time. We had training sessions and were present at the Peruvian Air Force's main event . It was truly exciting.”

“ We're very proud and excited about everything they've given us. They see us here with our Malvinas jackets and shout, 'Argentina forever, the Malvinas are Argentine.' They take pictures with us ,” Agüero said.

" They told us it was an honor and a pride to receive us , but we feel even more proud to be here with them, those who took a chance and gave us all the support and help they could during the Malvinas conflict," he concluded .

FOUNTAIN:

FROM THE DIGITAL SEA