Claudia Poblete, formerly known as Mercedes Landa, is one of the 133 “recovered grandchildren” of Argentina. She was abducted during the Argentine dictatorship and raised by a military couple who lied to her about her true identity. Poblete’s biological family was among the many who disappeared when the military took power in 1976. The Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, whose children were detained and tortured during this time, started searching for their missing grandchildren, leading to the creation of the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo.
Poblete was eight months old when she was taken to an illegal detention center. She was handed over to a military doctor who found a family to keep her and was registered as their biological daughter. For almost 21 years, Poblete was kept in the dark about her true identity and was not allowed to walk alone on the streets or explore her true heritage. It wasn’t until a DNA test confirmed her identity that Poblete learned the truth about her abduction and the deceit orchestrated by the military.
The complicity of the Catholic Church in the illegal adoptions and human rights violations during the dictatorship has been exposed by investigations and testimonies. Priests and nuns were aware of the irregular adoptions, and Catholic schools overlooked discrepancies in birth certificates. Poblete struggled with sharing her story and letting go of the guilt and responsibilities imposed on her by her “appropriators.” Pedro Alejandro Sandoval, another recovered grandchild, faced similar challenges in accepting his true identity after being raised by a military officer who claimed to be his father.
The Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo began their searches in the late 1970s and later received institutional support from the Argentine government through the National Commission for the Right to Identity and the National Genetic Data Bank. These organizations help individuals suspected of being abducted as babies to uncover their true identities through DNA testing and investigations. The process can lead to legal action against the appropriators who facilitated the illegal adoptions.
For the recovered grandchildren of Argentina, reclaiming their true names and identities is a crucial part of their healing and reconstruction process. Many choose to honor their biological families by adopting their names and reconnecting with their roots. Sandoval and Poblete both emphasize the importance of confronting the truth and seeking out the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo for support and guidance in uncovering their lost identities. They believe that freedom begins with knowing the truth and choosing to face it, even if it means unraveling the lies of the past.
