| Enrique Tessieri <[email protected]> | May 1, 2017, 4:29 PM |  | |
| to [email protected] | |||
President Jimmy Carter, you don’t know me but I’d like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving me hope during one of my darkest hours when I was in Argentina during the dirty war (1976-83).
At the time when you mentioned that human rights would form a part of US foreign policy, I was arrested in Buenos Aires and thrown in a prison cell for forgetting my ID at home. There was no habeas corpus, no due process and everything appeared to be left to chance as I stared out through the barred opening into the overcast day from the cold cell.
I remember that day so clearly and didn’t feel forsaken because you had spoken about human rights. I was a young man back then and started to study more in detail the thirty sections of the UN Declaration of Human Rights.
I write this email to you, Mr. President, because I read that President Donald Trump has asked Argentine President Mauricio Macri to rescind a decision to give you the Order of San Martin, Argentina’s most prestigious medal.
I am ashamed and saddened by the actions of Argentina’s president.
Even so, I want you to know that your foreign policy of human rights during your mandate as US president will never be forgotten by me. It gave me hope during one of the darkest moments of my life, when I was physically detained in a cell on a Saturday afternoon.
I recovered from that incident but haven’t ever forgotten it. I work today as a techer and anti-racism activist during my spare time.
I’m eternally thankful to you.
Enrique Tessieri