40 years after the trial of the former commanders, the University of Buenos Aires awarded honorary doctorates to the judges of the Federal Court.

Forty years after the Trial of the Juntas for the illegal repression of the dictatorship, the members of the Federal Court who led that historic trial received honorary doctorates from the University of Buenos Aires.

The tribute took place in the Law School's Assembly Hall and is the highest honorary distinction bestowed by the school. Led by León Carlos Arslanian, as they took the short walk onto the stage, sustained applause lasting several minutes with the audience standing ovation gave the four members of the panel a sense of recognition.

Beneath the 12-by-8-meter oil painting by Antonio González Moreno depicting the inauguration of the UBA at the Church of San Ignacio in 1821, Arslanian (83), Ricardo Gil Lavedra (76), Guillermo Ledesma (82), and Jorge Valerga Áraoz (86) sat in the imposing jacaranda armchairs upholstered in red tafilete leather and took center stage at the ceremony. They were joined by Rector Ricardo Gelpi; Dean Leandro Vergara; and Mónica Pinto, the honoree. In the front rows were family members of Andrés D'Alessio (1940-2009), Jorge Torlasco (1935-2014), and Prosecutor Julio César Strassera (1933-2015), who received their diplomas and medals posthumously.

The three rows of red seats were filled with university officials, figures from the academic, legal, and political spheres (some of them candidates campaigning), as well as a diverse group of hundreds of student activists.

When welcoming the judges, the dean emphasized, "This honor honors those who carried out the most important legal event in Argentine history: a trial that marked the will of democracy." Vergara was responsible for introducing the emeritus professor and former dean, who moved to one side of the podium, to the chair formerly used by students for conferring degrees. From there, Pinto delivered the eulogy.

It lasted approximately thirty minutes, offering a detailed account of what those first days of restored democracy were like; a brief tribute to the courage and commitment of the hundreds of victims and family members who came forward to testify during those days; and, at the same time, a snapshot of the changes that this historic event wrought in law, academic life, and the justice system, both in Argentina and globally.

"The trial and the sentence established the supremacy of law and human rights and affirmed the central role of the judiciary in a democracy," she said, midway through her closing remarks, which were met with respectful silence from the audience. "The trial and the sentence built truth and memory and restored the dignity of the Argentine people," she concluded, visibly moved, to sustained applause from the audience.

“At this University, we are educating in values, in respect for democracy, justice, due process, adherence to the law, and non-violence. I repeat, neither physical nor verbal. All virtues that, although some today seek to question them, are essential for this beloved institution of higher learning,” the rector stated in a clear message to President Javier Milei. At the end of his brief speech, he made special mention of the courage of “a graduate of this institution,” as he introduced him. This immediately sparked euphoric cries of “Al-fon-sín, Al-fon-sín” among the younger students. His words led to the presentation of diplomas and medals.

The sustained applause received by each of the honorees reached its peak at the final moment, when Julián Strassera stepped up and accepted the award on behalf of his father. Minutes later, a discussion began between the Dean of Law and the four members of the panel, which addressed the human side of those days and also opened up the debate surrounding the truth trials and pardons.

Gil Lavedra, current president of the Buenos Aires Public Bar Association, was the first to draw applause when he defended "public, free, and adequately funded education." He focused on President Raúl Alfonsín to reiterate the significance and magnitude of his decision when he warned that "neither the media, nor business leaders, nor the Church really wanted trials."

In turn, Valerga Áraoz recalled that "57 countries were demanding justice for the disappearance or suffering of their fellow citizens." With this information, he underscored the magnitude of the feat and the international shame of the military dictatorship's legacy.

A separate paragraph for the diverse political presence, albeit in campaign mode. National Senator and candidate for National Deputy, Martín Lousteau, could be seen there, flanked by Piera Fernández (former president of the Argentine University Federation) and Roy Cortina, both on the sides and in the front row. A couple of seats behind were the candidates of the young Citizen Movement, current National Deputy Esteban Paulón, and philosopher Alejandro Katz, closely followed by his running mate, Gabriel Puricelli.

Among the large number of judicial officials present, notable presence included Diego Barroetaveña, a member of the National Judiciary Council; Mariano Borinsky, a Court of Cassation judge; Ivana Bloch, a judge in the Chamber of Deputies; Leonardo Filippini, a federal prosecutor; and Lorena Clienti, a member of the Buenos Aires Judiciary Council, among others.

Finally, far from the anonymity or militant clandestinity of the 1970s, consolidated democracy incorporated political identities in clothing. It was no longer banners, placards, or flags, but rather printed T-shirts of the Franja Morada and Nuevo Derecho (socialists), the current leadership of the Student Center. They also included the girls of the La Mella group, who completed the color palette with their presence.

While the older children were leaving and heading home, the younger ones filled the spacious, soon-dark hall to screen Santiago Mitre's film "Argentina-1985." The filmmaker also took the stage to receive the award at the UBA International Film Festival (FIC-UBA), which concludes its third edition on October 8th, under the direction of its general director, Ricardo Alfonsín Jr.