Adolfo Perez Esquivel was born in Buenos Aires in 1931, and then later emigrated to Argentina. He was a talented sculptor and artist, and later he became a professor of architecture. He eventually left that job and put all of his efforts into organizations that protected human rights of people in Argentina. There was a serious issue with human rights during this time due to the fact that Argentina had become a dictatorship. Esquivel promoted liberation for poor people without the use of violence. He was one of the many voices that spoke for the poor people of Argentina, but Esquivel was bold and resilient. He openly called out the military during this dictatorship regime about the violent acts they were committing.
The military was taking away people’s liberties and rights, which are the things Esquivel was fighting to protect. He unfairly paid the price for speaking about the military. Argentine police detained him in 1977, and he was held for fourteen months without the right to a trial. During that time, he was tortured by the police. He was arrested with no cause or reason, and he was eventually released with restrictions. Esquivel threatened their power by calling out the brutality and unfairness of it. Protecting peoples human rights during a dictatorship regime is a difficult thing to do, but his voice and opinions clearly stood out.
Later on, in 1980, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in protecting human rights during that time. He continued to support similar movements and remained involved in his later life. The thing that stands out to me the most is his boldness. Many people have the courage to say what they believe in, but him along with many other peacekeepers take it to the next level. They don’t back down, even if that means sacrificing their own life and freedom. Not many people have that much resolve, but that’s what separates these peacekeepers from other individuals. Your beliefs and stance are tested when someone else is fighting against those beliefs with violence. Threats, torture, and violence usually work on most people, but Esquivel was different. His boldness and persistent nature stands out to me more than anything.
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