by Sebastián Lacunza
Herald staff
Nora Morales de Cortiñas is one of the iconic members of Mothers of Plaza de Mayo Founding Line. She lives in Castelar, near the station where yesterday’s train crash took place. She takes the Sarmiento line to the City every day as she continues her search for her son who disappeared during the last Argentine dictatorship. On April 15, 1977, her son Gustavo Carlos Cortiñas was abducted presumably at the Castelar station. Yesterday she answered questions in Plaza de Mayo after the traditional meeting held there every Thursday by the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo.
What are your reactions to the Sarmiento train crash?
It makes me very sad. I travel on the Sarmiento line every day. I still haven’t seen any improvements 14 months after the other accident (the February train crash in Once). We see that people are working but I don’t know if they’re working on building underground tunnels or improving what caused the accident. I think we have to find out who is responsible, but from what I know and whom I know one of the union representatives... gave an alert that the carriage was not in conditions to operate, but did anyway.
You haven’t seen any differences in the trains?
There are fewer of them. There are some trains that are more modern, more comfortable, but there are fewer trains and the schedule is shorter. I travel back and forth every day and can see complications, particularly in an area in which the trains go slowly... The truth is I’m very sad today for all the lives that have been lost and because we, in Argentina, should have first-rate trains, we should have safe railroads.
What responsibility does the government have?
I hold it responsible because the money for the trains and for transport is not used for what needs to be used. There are two officials that are directly responsible for the accident in February of last year and they are free and doing well and we still have not seen any actions to really prevent accidents.
@sebalacunza