Preservation of Place

With 762 sites that acted as clandestine detention centers during the dictatorship, there was substantial discourse about what to do with this infrastructure during the transition to democracy.

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For many years, even the most notorious sites remained in the hands of the national and regional military, navy, air force, and police. It was not until the 2000's that there were legal changes and substantial transfers of ownership so that these sites could be protected and be transformed into museums and memorials.

 

As a result, the theme of these sites is often defined by a triumphant reclaiming of space and narrative from the state. There is also a concerted focused on the preservation of the spaces, both for historical accuracy and for evidentiary purposes in trials against perpetrators.