A familiar chant resurfaces as Argentina marks a tragic milestone
On the 32nd anniversary of the 1994 AMIA bombing, the Jewish community in Buenos Aires revived a World Cup chant, adapting its rhythm to honor the 85 victims who perished the day after that year's final.
The somber remembrance coincides with a new legal provision that permits trials in absentia, prompting a judge to order proceedings against several figures, among them the current chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, while the community urges the government to keep Interpol's Red Notices active and to foster international cooperation for arrests.
President Javier Milei was present at the ceremony but remained silent, underscoring the event's gravity; the bombing is classified as a crime against humanity, no convictions have been secured, and the mysterious death of prosecutor Alberto Nisman, who once led the investigation, continues to cast a shadow over the case.
The chant's revival echoes a 2011 campaign that featured stars Lionel Messi and Carlos Tevez, whose message then read, “The national team does not forget the 85 people killed in the AMIA bombing 17 years ago. Neither should you.” This year, a memorial service will be held at the largest Jewish cemetery, scheduled according to the Hebrew calendar.
Community leaders say the adapted chant serves both as a reminder of the lives lost and as a rallying cry for sustained pressure on authorities to bring those responsible to justice, hoping that collective memory will translate into concrete legal outcomes.