Criminal organizations are rubbing their hands and relying on government measures to impact the market. The Laura Bonaparte National Hospital, specialized in mental health and addictions, is on the verge of closing due to a decision by the National Ministry of Health, leaving patients clinging to the hope of continuing to receive support.
Laura Bonaparte was a psychologist and a key figure in the struggle for human rights. The last dictatorship murdered three of her children, her sons-in-law, and her life partner. Laura was part of the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo Founding Line organization, led an international campaign to have enforced disappearance declared a crime against humanity, and, along with Graciela Lois—a leader of the Relatives of Detained and Disappeared for Political Reasons—prevented the demolition and privatization of the current Space for Memory and the former Clandestine Detention Center of the Navy Mechanics School (ESMA).
In addition to her advocacy for human rights, Laura was a professional dedicated to working for those who suffered the most: the marginalized and discarded. She passed away on a cold winter day in 2013 after years of struggle, cruel losses, and moments of joy. Laura left behind tears and smiles—her own and, most importantly, those of her patients. Three years after her death, the state and society recognized her fight and her contributions by naming the country’s only National Mental Health Hospital in her honor.
Specializing in medical, psychological, and social support, the Lic. Laura Bonaparte National Mental Health Hospital is the first line of defense for the initial victims of drug trafficking: impoverished individuals with substance use issues who cannot afford the country’s predominantly private assistance systems. However, the National Government has decided to dismantle this vital support system amid an increasingly complex social situation, where cries for help from families and churches in marginalized neighborhoods—those supporting the victims of drug trafficking—are multiplying.
The state spends billions of pesos to combat criminal organizations involved in drug trafficking. Year after year, the budgets for the Ministries of Security and Justice increase, yet failures across successive administrations remain proportional: the lack of drug prevention programs, dwindling recreational sports and cultural spaces, exorbitant costs of private treatment centers, and state institutions dedicated to prevention that are underfunded due to political and economic decisions and outdated, bureaucratic legal structures.
Closing the only space in the federal system dedicated to supporting individuals victimized by federal crimes like drug trafficking is not the right approach. The government may celebrate reductions in homicides in Rosario or the seizure of tons of cocaine and marijuana destined for Europe and Asia via Argentina. But without a sustainable, long-term policy focused on demand reduction and the inclusion of the marginalized, resources and time will always fall short.
The fight against organized crime, particularly drug trafficking, has changed. Beyond imprisoning members of criminal organizations, the justice system now focuses on recovering wealth accumulated by the so-called merchants of death and returning it to the state. Unfortunately, the National Government manages these assets under a law that is 50 years old and plagued by structural and operational flaws.
Currently, the state holds over 700 billion pesos in assets, including houses, apartments, farms, cars, trucks, boats, planes, and jewelry, which are deteriorating and incurring enormous maintenance, insurance, and security costs. While the taxpayer money wasted on inefficient policies is significant, the real loss lies in the missed opportunities for work and reparative efforts.
Since May, a bill has been in Congress with the signatures and support of nearly 50 deputies from across political blocs (UXP, PRO, La Libertad Avanza, UCR, Federal Innovation, Hacemos Coalición Federal, Buenos Aires Libre). This bill promotes the efficient management of confiscated assets.
In general terms, the bill proposes the creation of a single asset registry—currently, there are three conflicting registries—and a set of pre-established practices and destinations for these assets. These would include state institutions dedicated to supporting victims of organized crime, security forces and justice agencies combating organized crime, and civil society organizations—churches, synagogues, mosques, neighborhood clubs, foundations, cooperatives—that work to prevent new individuals from falling victim to criminal organizations.
The "Bien Restituido" (Restored Good) initiative places people and the institutions where they seek lost refuge at its center. Spaces like the Laura Bonaparte Hospital are where individuals recover, where the common good is the ultimate goal, and where the fight against drug trafficking becomes tangible.
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