The President of the Nation, Javier Milei, led the opening of the first plenary session of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) in Buenos Aires on Monday and took the opportunity to reaffirm Argentina's commitment to the fight against antisemitism, terrorism, and the defense of Israel.
During his speech, the president highlighted that Argentina's presidency of the IHRA is a historic event for the region, as it is the first time a Latin American country leads this international organization dedicated to preserving the memory of the Holocaust and combating contemporary expressions of antisemitism.
Milei stated that this responsibility reflects "the clear commitment to moral principles" of his government and emphasized that the fight against antisemitism is part of a state policy promoted since the beginning of his administration.
The memory of the Holocaust and Argentina's historical responsibility
In his remarks, the President recalled that Argentina welcomed thousands of Holocaust survivors who rebuilt their lives in the country and made significant contributions to national development.
At the same time, he acknowledged that after World War II, Nazi war criminals and collaborators of the regime also entered Argentine territory, which is why he highlighted the initiative of the Foreign Ministry to preserve and facilitate access to the archives related to the Holocaust and that historical period.
According to Milei, each recovered document and each opened file represents a victory of truth over silence, a task he considered fundamental to strengthen collective memory and prevent the repetition of past mistakes.
Milei linked antisemitism with hatred of the West
One of the central themes of the speech was the relationship between antisemitism and the defense of Western values.
The president stated that hatred towards the Jewish people has historically been accompanied by hostile feelings towards the West and asserted that current antisemitism has not disappeared but rather "has reorganized" under new forms.
In this context, he pointed out that the terrorist attack carried out by Hamas on October 7 marked a turning point and made it evident that antisemitism remains prevalent globally.
