This was the largest vigil in the country in honor of those who fell in the Malvinas

It is difficult to put into words the emotion experienced by the more than 30 thousand people who participated in the National Vigil for the Glorious Deed of the Malvinas held on the eve of April 2 in Río Grande, Tierra del Fuego.

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The Fuegian city, the national capital of the commemoration, experienced the Malvinas War up close. In Río Grande they did not pay attention to the newspaper headlines that insisted on “we are winning.” In Rio Grande the war was just around the corner. The children did not have classes. Many times they slept dressed, with their backpacks ready, prepared for an imminent evacuation. Those who could left the city and took refuge in the ranches. At night, in the homes, all the lights were turned off for fear of an enemy bombardment. The people of Rio Grande do Sul, from their dark and silent houses, listened to the sirens, the planes that left and the planes that returned. They also listened – with a deafening silence – to those planes that did not return. They knew that if a plane did not return it was because an Argentine had left his life for his country.

It may be due to the geographical proximity that is experienced in Tierra del Fuego, like in few places in the country, every April 2nd. The bitter cold and strong wind are no excuse: in the hours before the start of the date, the Paseo Héroes de Malvinas is flooded with neighbors who come to remember the ex-combatants. Despite the adverse weather, entire families are present.

Every year, the traditional vigil – which has been held continuously since 1995 – begins with a campaign mass in the so-called Tent of Dignity that is set up on site. Once the religious ceremony was over, 42 torches were lit, one for each year that has passed since the war with the United Kingdom. Subsequently, the Marine Infantry Battalion No. 5 presented a simulation of “Operation Rosario,” as the landing was called in 1982.

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The simulation remembers those brave soldiers who landed on the Islands with the clear objective of recovering the lands that had been illegally occupied for 150 years by the British.

Another of the emotional moments of the night was the presentation of the ballet Soles que Dejan Huellas, which paid tribute to the doctors of the Argentine soldiers in the Malvinas Islands, in gratitude for their heroic and indispensable participation.

When the clock struck 00 and April 2 officially began, a loud siren sounded, recreating the one that was frequently heard during the war. Then the official ceremony began. As the master of ceremonies mentioned, the vigil is a special moment of Argentinity where, in addition to paying a heartfelt tribute to the compatriots who gave their lives to defend territorial sovereignty, tribute is paid to the war veterans who had the possibility of returning and today they are living testimony of that feat.

The event is always organized by the “Malvinas Argentinas” War Veterans Association. It has the particularity that no political color takes over the commemoration: the vigil belongs to the veterans and that is strictly respected. The only speakers are ex-combatants. Like every year, the former soldier who spoke asked for the sovereignty of the islands and demanded that the Malvinas cause not be forgotten.

There are only 592 kilometers that separate Río Grande from the islands. In Tierra del Fuego you can breathe Malvinas. The coasts of this province are bathed with the same sea as the coasts of the Malvinas Islands. Impossible not to feel them as your own. Impossible not to yearn for sovereignty. Impossible to forget them.

History of the vigil in Rio Grande

The Rio Grande Vigil, which takes place every year on the eve of April 2, had its first edition in 1995, when a group of veterans gathered to share their experiences and memories. In the first meetings, the former soldiers lit pots with fire to warm themselves and waited together for midnight to sing the Argentine National Anthem.

Since then, the Rio Grande Vigil continues to grow in importance and participation, becoming a significant event not only for war veterans, but also for the community at large and for those who wish to pay tribute to the heroes fallen in the war of Malvinas.

During the vigil, local residents and visitors alike gather to share experiences, reflect on the meaning of war and honor the memory of the 649 brave men who lost their lives in the conflict. It is an opportunity to remember and value the sacrifice of those who defended Argentine sovereignty in the Islands.

The Rio Grande Vigil is not only a time of remembrance and reflection, but also of solidarity and support for war veterans, many of whom still face physical, emotional and social challenges as a result of their participation in the conflict.

The vigil brings together the community in a spirit of respect, recognition and gratitude towards those who fought for the sovereignty of the Malvinas. It is also a reminder of the importance of keeping alive the historical memory of a war that will forever hurt Argentines.