Survivors and relatives of the victims of the Cromañón massacre, for which 194 people died, presented this Thursday afternoon in the Hall of the Lost Steps of the National Congress a project so that the building where the dance venue worked is declared of “public utility and subject to expropriation” with the purpose of creating there a “space dedicated to the memory” of the tragedy that occurred on December 30, 2004. The initiative was introduced into the lower house last week by organizations that group survivors and relatives, supported by the Secretariat of Human Rights of the Nation. The project is headed by the deputy of the Frente de Todos Paula Penacca and supported by a large majority of the political forces that make up the Chamber, among them, the Left and Workers Front, Together We Are Río Negro and Front for Missionary Concord, Federal Meeting, Evolution, Civic Coalition, UCR, PRO, Socialism and Identity bonaerense.The project is promoted by the Cromañón Coordinator, El Camino es Cultural, Familiares de La Matanza, Movimiento Cromañón, Ni Olvido Ni Perdón, No Nos Cuenten Cromañón, Organización 30 de Diciembre, Que No Se Repita y Sin Derechos No Hay Justicia. “Cromañón continues to hurt and challenges the whole society, so it is necessary that it be in the hands that correspond. The incessant claim as a Space of Memory has traveled the struggles for memory, truth and justice of survivors and relatives. It is important that the representatives accompany this just request,” the organizations said in a statement.
The property where Cromañón worked, on Bartolomé Mitre Street 3038/78, between Ecuador and Jean Jaures, is still owned by whoever was at that time the owner, Rafael Levy, at the head of the company “Nueva Zarelux”. In October 2018 the Oral Criminal Court 24 restored the keys to the premises, which was highly criticized by the relatives of the victims of Cromañón.Within the first article, the project declares of “public utility and subject to expropriation, in the terms of Law 21,499, the property located on Bartolomé Mitre Street 3038/78, between Ecuador and Jean Jaures, of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, 3, property popularly known as República Cromañón”. And it points out that the site “will be destined to the creation of a space dedicated to the memory of what happened on December 30, 2004, when a havoc caused the death of at least 194 people and thousands of injured.” It also points out that “to this end, a permanent exhibition will be created that will reflect the history of what happened there, and cultural and informative activities will be organized.” “The existing building in the expropriated building must preserve the testimonial elements of the massacre, which make its historical-cultural value and configure the historical memory that must be preserved. Likewise, preventive, curative and restoration conservation actions within the property must be guaranteed,” the project adds. On the cost of expropriation, the text states that “the value of the assets to be expropriated will be fixed in accordance with the provisions of Law 21,499, by the Court of Appraisals of the Nation,” while authorizing “the Executive Power to make in the General Budget of the National Administration of the current year, the budgetary adjustments that result for compliance with the law.” This project had already been presented several times in the Buenos Aires Legislature, but there the initiative never prospered due to lack of support from the ruling bloc, which responds to the Executive Power of the City.In addition to the 194 fatalities, on the night of December 30, 2004 there were more than 1,500 people who were injured by the fire when they were trapped in the República Cromañón bowling alley, whose main door and the emergency were locked with padlock and wire during the recital of the band Callejeros.The manager of the local Omar Chabán had allowed the entry of people well above the maximum capacity enabled of 1,031 people. The fire was generated by the lighting of a flare that set fire to a half shade located on the roof of the premises and caused a toxic smoke that was inhaled by the thousands of young people who were inside.
