Challenging Milei's decree: an explanation of Argentina's racist origins

Argentina's historical narrative has long been shaped by a myth of racial purity and national homogeneity, according to Dr. Magdalena Cadioti, a historian specializing in the history of slavery and abolition in South America. In recent days, her research has drawn attention amid growing public interest in Argentina’s colonial past and its legacy of systemic racism. Cadioti argues that the country's so-called "clean" abolition of slavery and the notion of an exclusively white nation were not accidental demographic outcomes, but deliberate political projects aimed at erasing the presence of Indigenous and African-descended populations. Cadioti, a researcher with CONICET and an associate professor at the National University of the Northeast, has spent years examining the complex realities of slavery in the Río de la Plata region during the 19th century. Her book Una historia de la emancipación negra challenges the traditional view that enslaved Africans disappeared quickly after the formal abolition of slavery in 1813. Instead, she reveals a more nuanced picture of a prolonged process marked by legal struggles, military service, and social mobility. The official narrative, she says, has often ignored the real experiences of enslaved individuals and their descendants. According to Cadioti, the number of enslaved Africans brought to the region was far greater than previously assumed. Drawing on international collaborative databases tracking slave trade routes, she estimates that approximately 40,000 voyages transported around 12.5 million people to the Americas. Of these, roughly 200,000 arrived in what is today Argentina, primarily through the ports of Buenos Aires and later Montevideo. These numbers place the population of enslaved Africans in the region at a significant proportion of the total population at the time. Between 1776, when the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata was established, and 1812, when the transatlantic slave trade was officially banned, nearly 70,000 enslaved Africans entered the area. At the time, Buenos Aires had a population of just 30,000 people, meaning that over 2,000 enslaved individuals arrived each year. This influx significantly impacted the demographics of the region, with enslaved Africans making up about one-third of the population in some areas by 1810. Despite this, the dominant historical account has largely overlooked the role of African descent in shaping Argentina’s identity. Cadioti attributes this to a broader effort to construct a national mythology centered on European heritage and racial uniformity. She points out that the elites who controlled the narrative began referring to slavery in the past tense soon after its formal abolition, effectively erasing the lived experience of enslaved people and their descendants from the national consciousness. Her work has sparked debate among historians and activists, many of whom argue that Argentina’s current policies and societal structures continue to reflect the legacy of this exclusion. Some critics have accused the government of downplaying the issue, particularly in light of recent controversies surrounding laws and statements perceived as racially insensitive. Others see Cadioti’s research as a necessary step toward acknowledging the country’s true multicultural roots. The discussion has also extended beyond academic circles, drawing attention from civil society organizations and cultural institutions advocating for greater recognition of Argentina’s Afro-descendant and Indigenous communities. Their efforts highlight the ongoing struggle to reclaim historical narratives that have been marginalized or erased. Cadioti emphasizes that understanding the past is crucial for addressing present-day inequalities. By confronting the uncomfortable truths of Argentina’s colonial history, she hopes to contribute to a more inclusive vision of the nation’s future. Her findings challenge the prevailing myths and invite a reexamination of how Argentina defines itself historically and culturally.