27/06/2026 12:23 - Judiciales
On October 16, 1989, in the Argentine province of San Luis, 19-year-old Nelson Madaf walked 15-year-old Claudia Díaz home from school. They had met only hours earlier. At her doorstep, they said goodbye. He left. She was never seen again by her family. That day marked the beginning of a nightmare that would span nearly four decades.
Context: San Luis is a small province in central Argentina. In 1989, Argentina was still recovering from a military dictatorship (1976-1983) that had systematically used torture. Many police forces retained brutal practices from that era.
With no evidence against him, Nelson was detained and subjected to brutal torture during nearly three years of imprisonment without trial. The horrors he endured included:
Under this inhuman pressure, Nelson confessed to a crime that never happened.
Nelson Madaf
Claudia Díaz
Only nine years later was the truth discovered: Claudia Díaz was alive in San Juan, with a partner and four children. That night in 1989, she had run away from home to escape the beatings she received from her father. She walked to the highway, got on a truck heading to Caucete (a town in San Juan province), and started a new life there.
"For Nelson, it was a shock to learn that Claudia was alive. For the whole community too. It became clear that everything had been a lie. A theater play. And, of course, no one apologized" — Carlos Pereyra, lawyer who documented the case.
Nelson was released in 1995 due to lack of evidence and after Argentina's adherence to the Pact of San José de Costa Rica (an international human rights treaty). However:
Nelson Madaf died in June 2025, his health shattered and a story that never stopped haunting him. According to those who knew him:
"You must have died with much sadness, but you were also brave. He never stayed silent. I would like to have the courage he had," reflected lawyer Carlos Pereyra about Nelson Madaf's passing.
Source: TN.com.ar
Alfredo S. Quiroga
