Che Guevara Museum Closure Sparks Heated Debate in Argentina

Public Servants' Union: "Denial of History, Ideological Prejudice"
Argentine National Parks Administration Welcomes the Government's Decision

The Argentine government announced that it will not renew its contract with the public servants' union (ATE), which has been operating the 'La Pastera' Che Guevara Museum located within Lanin National Park. This announcement is widely regarded as tantamount to deciding to close the museum, sparking controversy. On May 28, Yonhap News reported that on May 7, Manuel Adorni, spokesperson for the Argentine presidential office, referred to Che Guevara as a "terrorist" and criticized the maintenance and management of the museum, stating, "Maintaining this museum is using national resources to recreate the life of this terrorist." He justified the decision to close the museum on these grounds.

The Argentine government announced that it will not renew the contract with the public servants' union (ATE) that has been operating the 'La Pastera' Che Guevara Museum located within Lanin National Park. This announcement is widely regarded as tantamount to deciding to close the museum, sparking controversy. The photo is not related to the specific content of the article. Pixabay

The ATE, which has operated the museum for more than 15 years, strongly objected to the government's decision, arguing that it disregards the connection between Che Guevara and the museum and was made out of "ideological prejudice." The museum has been run as part of a program called "Los Caminos de Che en Argentina" ("The Paths of Che in Argentina"), which promotes museums dedicated to Che Guevara. This program includes Che Guevara's birthplace and three other Che Guevara museums. In contrast, the Argentine National Parks Administration (APN) welcomed the government's decision, accusing the public servants' union of transforming a historical site within the national park into a Che Guevara memorial for ideological reasons.

Lanin National Park is located in Neuquen Province in southern Argentina and covers a total area of 410,000 hectares. It is a beautiful place featuring volcanoes, mountains, and lakes unique to Argentina. Che Guevara, the revolutionary from Argentina, spent a night in what is now the La Pastera Museum?then a pasture warehouse?when he began his first trip across South America in 1952.

Christian Larsen, head of the National Parks Administration, posted a video on his social media celebrating the government's decision, emphasizing, "Che Guevara was never a role model." In response to Larsen's remarks, ATE recalled that in 1990, the government attempted to privatize Lanin National Park, but local residents united to resist. The union explained that La Pastera became a symbol of this resistance and was reborn as a museum dedicated to the revolutionary Che Guevara. ATE criticized Larsen and President Javier Milei, claiming they would try to sell off Lanin National Park, a heritage belonging to all Argentinians. The union also denounced the decision as another example of the Milei administration's provocation and denial of history, clearly demonstrating ideological prejudice.