Papa Francesco: mi adoperai per i due religiosi rapiti dal regime. La testimonianza al processo contro l'ESMA

Nel novembre del 2010 in Argentina si svolse un processo alla ESMA, la Escuela de Mecánica de la Armada che durante la dittatura era diventata centro di detenzione e tortura dei dissidenti. In quella occasione fu ascoltato anche l'arcivescovo di  Buenos Aires Jorge Bergoglio, futuro papa Francesco. Il Clarin, quotidiano argentino, oltre a pubblicare un intero dossier su papa Francesco, pubblica una serie di video di quella testimonianza di Bergoglio, nella quale il futuro papa dichiara di aver saputo del rapimento dei due religiosi da una telefonata anonima e di essersi immediatamente adoperato per liberarli, dopo essersi sincerato che la notizia fosse vera.

Qui sotto uno di quei video doppiato in italiano uscito su RaiNews24.

Di uno stralcio di quella testimonianza di Bergoglio esiste una trascrizione disponibile sempre sul sito del Clarin. Eccone una parte:

(...) Judge: Do you remember what you did when you heard this news?

Bergoglio: Yes, I began to move, I began to speak with priests who I supposed had contacts with the police, with the armed forces, we reacted right away.

J: Did you receive any information different from that given by the neighbor?

B: They confirmed what had happened, and I didn't know where they were. Then people began to say that they (the kidnappers) had been agents of the Navy. Two or three days later I was told, at least.

[...] Zamora: How did you know it had been the Navy?

B: It was known, it was vox populi, the people who were looking into the matter pointed in that direction.

J: Did that set on any special kind of negotiation?

B: Yes, in fact I met the Commander of the Navy, Eduardo Massera, twice. The first time he listened to me, and he told me that he would look into it. I told him that these priests were not involved in any odd activities. And he said he would give me an answer. But since he didn't answer, after a few months I asked for a second interview, besides proceeding to other negotiations. By this time, I was almost certain that they had them. The second interview was very nasty. He kept me waiting for ten minutes. (...) I said, look Massera; I want them to be appear. I got up and left.

[...] J: Do you remember what circumstance led you to ask for an interview with Massera?

B: Because I was certain... Sorry, I was almost convinced that it was him, because of what everyone felt. I can recall a Jesuit priest, who undertook good negotiations to fortify this hypothesis, father Fernando Storni (...) With president Videla also, twice for the same reason. It was very formal, he took notes and he said that he would make enquiries. I told him that it was said that they were in the hands of the Navy. The second time, I found that the Military chaplain was going to celebrate mass in the residence of the Commander in chief. I asked him to say that he was sick, so that I could substitute him. That Saturday, after the mass that I gave, I spoke with him. There I had the impression that he was going to take action, and take things more seriously. It wasn't a violent meeting, like the one with Massera.