On the outskirts of Buenos Aires lies Parque Indoamericano. It’s a vast expanse, a sea of green in the urban sprawl. But this tranquil landscape holds a turbulent past. Parque Indoamericano wasn’t always a park. For much of the 20th century, this area, known as Bajo Flores, was a floodplain. The Riachuelo River regularly overflowed its banks, rendering the land uninhabitable. In the 1960s, efforts began to tame this wild landscape and the dream of a park began to emerge.
Parque Indoamericano officially opened in 1995. However, its story really begins much earlier, in 1978. A monumental project was envisioned, a grand amusement park and zoo. The amusement park, Interama, saw the light of day. But the zoo project, the “Parque Zoofitogeográfico,” fell victim to scandal and financial woes. The abandoned land became a dumping ground, then a shantytown known as Los Piletones.
Parque Indoamericano encompasses 120 hectares. What was once unusable swampland and landfill became a green oasis. Thousands of trees were planted in the 1970s, transforming the desolate area. Within Parque Indoamericano, two significant memorials offer quiet reflection. The Paseo de las Malvinas, inaugurated in 1999, commemorates the fallen soldiers of the Falklands War. Six hundred and forty-nine cypress trees stand in silent tribute. The Paseo de los Derechos Humanos, opened in 2006, honors the victims of Argentina’s Dirty War.
Parque Indoamericano’s story is not without its shadows. In December 2010, thousands of families, primarily from Bolivia and Paraguay, occupied the park. They were seeking housing in a city grappling with a severe housing shortage. Clashes with police ensued, resulting in tragic deaths and injuries. The occupation shone a harsh light on the complexities of immigration, poverty, and access to resources in Buenos Aires. A similar attempted occupation occurred in 2014, again marked by violence and loss of life.
Despite these struggles, Parque Indoamericano endures. It stands as a testament to the city’s resilience. It’s a place where nature has reclaimed what was once lost. A place where the whispers of history mingle with the rustle of leaves. A place where, amidst the vastness, individual stories of hope and hardship unfold.