After 58 years of complicit silence, the Argentine state takes the first step to repair one of the worst tragedies in world football. Senator Carlos Linares introduced a bill seeking to install a memorial near the Monumental stadium, in memory of the more than 70 victims of the Puerta 12 Tragedy. The initiative, which includes the placement of a 3.5-meter sculpture called «El Ángel de la Puerta 12,» promises to reopen wounds that political and sports authorities kept under the rug for nearly six decades.
The work, designed by artist Jorge Aranda, depicts Rubén Ángel Ochoa, a 17-year-old teenager who died on June 23, 1968, wrapped in the Boca flag his mother had sewn for him. The statue shows the young man rising toward the sky, with one arm raised in a questioning gesture, as if demanding justice. On the pedestal, the names of identified victims appear, alongside empty spaces symbolizing those whose names have not yet been recognized.
The project not only includes the memorial but also proposes a comprehensive historical reparation policy. During the presentation in the Senate, an visibly emotional Linares apologized to the families: «To the families, I ask forgiveness for taking so long to acknowledge mistakes.» The event was attended by survivors and relatives, and for the first time in history, leaders from River Plate and Boca Juniors shared the same table to honor the victims.
Rodrigo Daskal, president of River’s Museum and History Department, and Alejandro Veiga, Boca’s deputy secretary general, agreed that sports rivalry pales in the face of a national tragedy. Daskal affirmed River’s willingness to collaborate with the investigation, while Veiga, who was at the stadium that day at age 9, recalled the emotional impact that left a lasting mark on Boca fans.
Journalist Pablo Lisotto, author of the book «Una tarde de junio,» was key to uncovering the truth. His investigation, spanning more than five years with 150 direct testimonies, debunked the fake news that the official account had repeated for decades. Lisotto demonstrated that Puerta 12 was open and without turnstiles, but the exit was blocked by a police operation aimed at «catching» Boca’s barra brava. He also proved that not all the deceased were Boca fans; there were supporters of River, Argentinos Juniors, and Racing.
Testimonies indicate that the official figure of 71 deaths is false. Updated records already reach 74 identified victims, but police reports from the time suggest the total number could exceed 200 fatalities. Diana Von Bernard, sister of one of the victims, recounted her solitary struggle over the years, being expelled by River security when she tried to leave flowers at Puerta 12. «The families, the survivors, we are resilient, we are forgotten,» she stated.
Miguel Pierro, a survivor, gave a heartbreaking testimony: at age 18, he was trapped under a mountain of bodies. «I remember resisting the weight on me and focusing on breathing calmly and slowly to save energy. I managed to sit up, but sitting, my head did not emerge from the human pile,» he recalled. Pierro described how the cries of those calling for their mothers gradually faded as asphyxiation won the battle.
Senator Linares denounced that the story of Puerta 12 was «told halfway.» During the dictatorship of Juan Carlos Onganía, the official account tried to blame the victims, suggesting the tragedy was the result of fans’ desperation. However, the event in the Senate consolidated the idea that state and police negligence were the drivers of the disaster.
If the project advances, the installation of the memorial must be approved by the Buenos Aires City Legislature. Sculptor Aranda and the creators of the @Puerta12memoria space consider the ideal location to be the Parque de la Innovación, a few meters from Puerta 12, now renamed Puerta M. The fight for memory is just beginning, but the first step has already been taken.
Para mí esto huele a circo montado por los mismos yankees del Senado que bancan a los dueños de la pelota. 58 años de impunidad y ahora se quieren hacer los progres, pero la Puerta 12 fue una masacre obrera. Yo creo que ni un paso atrás, ni un muerto al pedo. Viva la lucha, compañeros.
Para mí esto es un choreo. 58 años y recién ahora se acuerdan los políticos de la Puerta 12. Me parece que la izquierda kirchnerista va a querer sacar rédito otra vez con los derechos humanos truchos. River y Boca juntos está bien, pero después votan leyes que nos cagan. Yo creo que no se tienen que desviar del homenaje ni llenarse la boca con giladas.