Plane Used for Argentina's "Death Flights" Discovered in Florida and Returned Home

A Skyvan PA-51 aircraft, historically used by Argentina’s military dictatorship to carry out "death flights" during the 1970s, has been returned to Buenos Aires and is now on display at the ESMA museum. This plane was discovered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in 2008 by journalist Miriam Lewin and Italian photographer Giancarlo Ceraudo, shedding light on the regime's methods of terror, which included dropping alleged dissidents from the aircraft into the South Atlantic Ocean. The military dictatorship, responsible for the disappearance of up to 30,000 people during the Dirty War, utilized these flights to eliminate evidence of their crimes, according to Lewin, a former political prisoner herself. The plane reportedly logged evidence linking it to several death flights, and the identification of its pilots led to life sentences for those involved in these atrocities in 2017. The Skyvan’s return is part of Argentina’s ongoing efforts to confront its past. The ESMA museum now serves as a memorial for the victims and as an educational space for future generations about the horrors of state terrorism.

Opposition politicians in Argentina are pushing for the impeachment of President Javier Milei following his endorsement of the $Libra cryptocurrency, which collapsed shortly thereafter, incurring significant financial losses for investors. On February 16, Milei promoted the cryptocurrency as a means to stimulate economic growth and support small businesses, leading to an initial spike in its value before it plummeted to under $1 after reaching nearly $5, according to trading sites. Some economists described the incident as a potential “rug pull,” a type of scam involving the sudden collapse of a cryptocurrency after it has been artificially inflated, as reported by Argentina's fintech chamber. In the aftermath, Milei deleted his endorsement post, stating he was "not aware of the details" of the project. His actions prompted legal complaints, with one plaintiff alleging participation in fraud, while lawmakers criticized him for undermining Argentina's international reputation. Former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner condemned him on social media, arguing he leveraged his presidential status for personal gain. Analysts caution that this incident could significantly impact Milei's credibility as Argentina heads into midterm elections.

Argentine President Javier Milei is under scrutiny as calls for impeachment emerge following the promotion of a cryptocurrency, $LIBRA, on social media. On Friday, Milei shared a post via X, formerly Twitter, claiming that the coin would support small businesses. This led to a rapid increase in its value, but the price plummeted within hours after he deleted the post. Critics accuse him of a "rug pull," a tactic where promoters withdraw funds after inflating a cryptocurrency's value. Legal action has already been initiated, with complaints of fraud filed in Argentina's criminal court. According to Jonatan Baldiviezo, one of the plaintiffs, Milei's actions were "essential" to committing fraud. Opponents, including former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, have labeled him a "crypto scammer." Additionally, opposition members of Congress are organizing efforts to initiate impeachment proceedings, deeming the situation an "unprecedented scandal." In response, Milei's office stated that the post was deleted to prevent speculation and confirmed that the president was not involved in the coin's development. The government's Anti-Corruption Office is set to investigate the matter.