Patriot from the Pampas

For many in the United States, Argentine dictator Peron's sudden outburst of forgiveness for political exiles was encouraging. But Alberto Gainza Paz, former editor-publisher of La Prensa, sees little that points toward a free Argentina. Believing the latest policy shift to be only a temporary phase, Paz is resigned to continue his voluntary exile until freedom returns to his country.

Two years ago, when the government seized his newspaper, and with it, Argentina's last token of democracy, Paz fled just ahead of a warrent for his arrest. This ended an eighty-one year crusade in which the Paz family had dedicated La Prensa to fighting the totalitarianism that finally killed it.

The ex-editor is now staying in a modest New York apartment before going to Mexico to receive a citation for his work. This is by no means his first; when I visited him he showed me many other awards and honorary degrees that he has received in the States.

Paz was quick to speak of political matters. Commenting on the basis of freedom, he said, "A free press is the backbone of any democracy, because if a man is deprived of his constitutional rights in any way, his ultimate appeal is to the newspaper." As an example, he gave the case of several Prensa editors who had refused to work for the paper after its seizure. Some, Paz said, had been taken from their homes without explanation, left in prison, and then released without having charges preferred. "With a free press to publicize such incidents, Peron could never get away with them. Because of the present censorship, though, no one ever finds out." But, despite the dangers of advocating their former policies of freedom, he felt that the majority of the paper's 1800 employees have remained loyal to him.

Paz aired some gloomy opinions on conditions in Argentina. Comparing them with those of Orwell's 1984, he commented, "Argentina lacks the television mechanism, but waiters in the restaurants and even servants in the home are spying constantly. In place of "Big Brother", posters reading 'Peron Comple' (Peron accomplishes) line the streets. Opposition parties cannot meet, and all newspapers are controlled by the government." As for Peron's sudden wooing of the US, Paz warned that it was merely a corallary to economic need. He felt that the only way that America could help restore freedom to Argentina would be to keep out of the struggle and not grant Peron aid. He was confident, however, that the people hate Peron, and, if left alone, would overthrow him.

To illustrate, he told of his own escape from Argentina. Shortly after La Prensa shut down, he started for Uruguay to visit his mother. At the dock, a police told him that he could not leave the country, and pulled him off the pier. "He said that he was sorry, but that those were his orders, and then whispered, 'There are a thousand ways to get across the border. Try somewhere else.'" Minutes later, Paz got away from his police escort and two men he had never seen before helped him into a sailboat bound for Uruguay and freedom.