A "gringo" (that's how an immigrant -or their descendants- from the northern hemisphere -regardless of the country- was called in the Pampas back in the early 20th century) from Santa Fe brought to light the exploits of foreign rural laborers and native Argentines, who fought for better working conditions in the Argentine Patagonia exactly a 100 years ago.

More than 2,200 kilometers away from the city of Buenos Aires, in what is now the province of Santa Cruz, 1,500 of these laborers were shot after they had risen up against the appalling, semi-slavery working system they were subjet to by large landowners, mostly foreigners.

Argentine journalist and historian Osvaldo Bayer (1927-2018) dedicated much of his life to investigate and shed light on this historical event. His book, "The Avengers of Tragic Patagonia", was later made into a movie that would reach iconic status: "La Patagonia Rebelde".

The story began with a strike launched by rural laborers claiming the owners of large estancias for better working conditions. The movement gained momentum in the final part of 1920 and ended a year later, under a firing squad headed by Lieutenant Héctor Benigno Varela, who had been sent to Patagonia by then-radical President Hipólito Yrigoyen.

It was one of the first State crimes in Argentina in the 20th century. And although there were stories and books on these events, they overlooked the responsibility of Yrigoyen's democratic government and the power exerted by landowners.

Because of his investigation Bayer was threatened by the Triple A (a paramilitary group of the Peronist right) before the 1976 coup d'etat, and he had to go into exile with his family to Germany.

In order to mark one hundred years of the "Rebel Patagonia" uprisings, RAE-Argentina al Mundo, the international broadcaster of Argentina, organizes an online conference on this story, that not only reverberates in Argentina but also in European countries, where many of the killed workers were originally from.

The talk will be carried out on Tuesday 1 - 12 at 11 am Argentina (14 UTC), and will be streaming on RAE's Youtube Channel, with the following speakers.

. Ana María Careaga- psychologist and a recognized Human Rights activist in Latin America.

. Diana Lenton- anthropologist- founder of the Network of Researchers on Genocide and Indigenous Politics- co-editor with Osvaldo Bayer of the book "History of Argentine Cruelty".

.Beinusz Szmukler- lawyer of reference in Human Rights. Former member of the Legal Council and advisory chairman of the American Association of Legal Experts. He was the attorney defending Bayer when he faced trial, following a lawsuit filed by the Martinez de Hoz family.

. Carlos Cobelo- founder of the Commission for the Memory of the Patagonian Strikes - Santa Cruz.

. Bruno Nápoli - historian . Editor - La Chispa (newspaper founded by Osvaldo Bayer in Esquel, 1958-1959).

. Esteban Bayer - journalist and writer living in Hamburg (Germany).

-Talk "Osvaldo Bayer and the Dignity of the Unknowns. A hundred years of the Patagonia Rebelde".

Tuesday 1 - 12 at 11 am Argentina (14 UTC), on RAE's Youtube channel.

Moderated by RAE's director, Adrian Korol.

Produced by Silvana Avellaneda and Julián Cortez.

Special thanks to Raúl "El Indio" Fernández