"Never again, we said it a lot": Mariana Eva Perez and the search for a new language to talk about the dictatorship

Mariana Eva Pérez, daughter of two disappeared activists during Argentina’s last military dictatorship, has released a new novel titled Constanza y Matute (hacen la porquería), which explores the complex emotional and psychological landscapes of individuals who grew up in the shadow of political violence. The book, described as a high-voltage erotic novel with elements of post-porno, challenges traditional narratives around memory, trauma, and identity. It features protagonists who are children of the disappeared, so-called “hijis”, whose lives are marked by loss, uncertainty, and the struggle to reconcile their past with their present. The narrative centers on Constanza, an anthropologist forensic who has never found the remains of her parents, and Matute, whose relationship with Constanza becomes entangled in the search for truth. Their dynamic unfolds through a series of exchanges that blur the lines between intimacy and conflict, revealing how unresolved grief can shape personal relationships. One particularly striking dialogue captures this tension: “Did you spend your whole life asking where they are?” asks one character. “No,” replies the other. “Is that wrong?” “There's neither right nor wrong in managing this disaster.” This exchange underscores the novel’s refusal to offer simple answers, instead presenting a raw, often uncomfortable exploration of how trauma persists across generations. Pérez, born in Buenos Aires in 1977, grew up in a household shaped by the disappearance of her parents, both members of the Montoneros, a leftist guerrilla group targeted during the 1976–1983 dictatorship. Her brother was born in captivity at the ESMA detention center, adding another layer of historical and familial complexity to her upbringing. She holds a degree in Political Science from the University of Buenos Aires and a doctorate in Romance Literature from the University of Konstanz, Germany. Her previous work, Diario de una princesa montonera, published in 2012 and expanded in 2021 as 110% Verdad, established her reputation for blending personal history with literary fiction, offering a nuanced portrayal of political resistance and its aftermath. In Constanza y Matute, Pérez continues to challenge conventional storytelling by incorporating elements of desire and sexuality into a narrative deeply rooted in political and social trauma. The novel does not romanticize its characters’ experiences; rather, it presents them as flawed, vulnerable, and often misguided, mirroring the real-life struggles of those who have lived under authoritarian regimes. The protagonist with a disabled arm, a detail that reflects the physical and emotional scars of political violence, serves as a symbol of the broader societal fractures caused by state repression. The novel also critiques the ways in which power structures attempt to control discourse, particularly regarding historical memory. Pérez introduces the concept of “la porquería”, not literal filth, but the use of empty rhetoric, the erosion of clarity in political justification, and the complicity of institutions in perpetuating silence. By weaving these themes into a fictional narrative, she invites readers to confront uncomfortable truths about the persistence of authoritarian influence in contemporary society. Her work has been praised for its ability to expose trauma without shying away from discomfort. Writer Mariana Enríquez called Pérez’s latest novel an example of literature that “exposes the trauma without hiding the pain or the discomfort with the commonplaces of institutional discourse.” This approach aligns with Pérez’s broader mission: to create fiction that gives voice to marginalized perspectives while maintaining a commitment to human dignity and ethical inquiry.