UK-Awesome Old Lady of the Week: Dr Marta Raquel Zabaleta

Written by Joanne Lau

Awesome Old Lady of the Week: Dr Marta Raquel Zabaleta

Joanne Lau talks to the 78-year-old political refugee who was imprisoned in both Argentina and Chile and continues to inspire through her work as a writer, poet and essayist.
Marta ZabaletaMarta was granted asylum in the UK in 1976. She went on to earn a D. Phil. from the Institute of Development Studies at Sussex University and became a senior lecturer and researcher at Middlesex University. Though now retired, Marta is still an ardent social activist and cultural promoter.
You arrived to the UK as a political refugee in 1976. Can you tell me more about the events that led up to this?
I was born in Argentina in 1937. I’d studied to be an accountant, but when I finished, I decided I didn’t like the practice, so in 1963 I moved to Chile to do postgraduate studies in socio-economic development. During my time there, I became interested in the society of Chile and how different it was from Argentina, even though we’re right next door. The people were more politicised and it really opened my eyes.
After my degree, I worked for the UN in Chile on women’s issues. Chile was changing dramatically. It went from a very conservative government to a Christian democracy in 1964 and the left was forced to reorganise.
I joined a new left-wing political party. I stayed in Chile, got married, became a lecturer/professor of economics and had a child. I thought I was going to be there forever.
Then there was a coup in Chile in 1973. I lost my job, was put in prison, and then, eventually, expelled from Chile.
What happened then?
The Chilean regime wanted to have me killed, but Argentina asked for my life. I was released from the concentration camp in which I was being held and taken to Argentina across the Andes in an old bus, with my husband and baby daughter, and another 15 adults of various nationalities and 18 children.
I found it very hard to get a new job, but we lived there for three years. We were still recovering from the trauma of what had happened in Chile, when there was a coup in Argentina as well. It was horrendous – the worst dictatorship in Latin American history. They imprisoned my husband and I was interrogated repeatedly in the house of government over a period of months.
“I respect my neighbours and I love some of them, but I can’t talk to them about what I’ve been through and what I’m passionate about. I guess that’s the price of being a rebel in your home country – you are condemned to be exiled to a country where you are a novelty.”
Finally they expelled us from the country. We count ourselves lucky that all three of us – my husband, my daughter, and I – made it out, though we lost everything. We were given asylum in the UK.

http://standardissuemagazine.com/misc/awesome-old-lady-of-the-week-dr-marta-raquel-zabaleta/ 

Comentarios

  1. Mi querida cuñada, Vivi Cachicas ha escrito en FB desde Santiago:
    "Idola ! En su refugio ingles el tiempo se detiene. Su mesa de comedor llena de libros: Abres cualquiera y todos agradecen su apoyo, su revisión y su infinita riqueza de ideas".

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  2. Desde Barcelona ha escirto la poeta y trdauctora chSilvia Cuevas-Morales ¡Felicidades, Martita! Excelente entrevista. Hay datos que desconocía de tu biografía. Un abrazo muy fuerte, you "awesome old lady" :-) <

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  3. El Dr Carlos Zamora ha escrito desde Salvador, Bahia, y ha dicho:

    "Estou a compartilhar os vossos pensamentos com Malu e Cissa. Obrigado, you are amazing. 💕👏👏👏💕"
    Malu y Cissa son mis dos nietitas intelectuales brasileras



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  4. desde Rosario escribió Indiana Zabaleta y dijo
    " Felicidades, Martita"

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  5. Desde Frankfurd escribió el joven abogadoy escritor argentino, Rodrigo Gardella, y dijo:
    "Te quiero Marta R Zabaleta"
    1

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  6. Desde Concepcion y Tome, escribio mi prima Maria Loreto Hinrichsen Ramirez, y dijo:
    "Un abrazo, Martita!"

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  7. Desde Pisa escribió el Dr Dan Ozarow, y dijo:
    "Dan Ozarow Me encanta. Resume tantas conversaciones que hemos tenido. Que vida extraordinaria y que consejos mas sabios. Vio, la enfermera decia la misma que yo?!"

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  8. Marta Zabaleta escribió a Londres y dijo:
    "Marta R Zabaleta
    Marta R Zabaleta Jo Hurst Thank you once again for given my name to Standard Issue. Much love,Marta"

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  9. Desde sus vacaciones delinvierno de Berlín y desde Chile, escribio mi sobrina Mónica Hinrichsen
    "Mónica Hinrichsen Qué lindo Martita gran entrevista y hasta me reí en una parte q encontré una ironía deliciosa. Grande"

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  10. desde Essex, escribio Hayley Aldridge:
    " Marta, you are amazing xxx "

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  11. El poeta chilen en canda en el exilio, Dr.
    Jorge Etcheverry Arcaya
    "un año nuevo feliz, luchador y productivo."

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  12. Desde Mara del Plata, Argnetina ,e scribio la escritoy poeta Silvia Loustau "Sos una ídola, esto es mejor que las medicinas, abrazo enormeeee."

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  13. Ana Mañana "Marta, I don't know you very well, but you have had an amazing (and terrible at times) life. All respect to you xxx"

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  14. Ana, ex pareja de un muy querido alumno aleman, Max, escribio desde Chelsea, en Londres.

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  15. La dra Hillary Carroll, desde Santiago, dijo: BUENISIMO!

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  16. Adriana Elena Gómez Muñoz Un abrazo gigante, desde Chile hasta tu casa florida en las afueras de Londres.Muchos cariños para tí...desde Santiago

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  17. Dra. Hasanbegovic Claudia Felicitaciones Marta! Hermosa entrevista; historia intensa; sabias tus palabras, te quiero Marta 💚💜💚💜💚

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  18. de mi sorina adoptiva en Rosario, Argeitna
    Valeria Paradot
    Valeria Paradot Muy feliz año nuevo para vos y los chicos!!! Esperame que voy a ir a visitarte!!! Muchos besos!!!

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  19. "An interesting reading! My old and loved friend from Loughton, Margater Owen

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  20. Dr Ricardo Rodriguez Pereyra, CABA:"Espero estar pronto de vuelta...Felicitaciones por la entrevista otra vez"

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  21. Dra. Yamile Delgado De Smith "Felicidades querida Marta; siempre recordada con afecto. Mis mejores deseos para ti. Abrazos." desde la Universidad de Carabobo, en Vnezuela.

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  22. Perdiodista argentina, desde Chubut:"Sandra Gaitan Tabuyo Sos inspiración pura, hada! Bendita tu vida que dejó y deja huella en la mía..."

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  23. Martha Bigliardi Se te ve magnifica.Mis mejores deseos para 2019!!!" desde CABA, amiga en comun con Traful.

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  24. Raquel Swi Rubinow; , Psicologa Terapeuta, CABA:
    " Graciias por estaren mi vida, Marta"

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  25. argarita Díaz Querida Marta! Un grande abrazo desde Brasil y te deseo mucha salud, energías, luz, y muchas cosas buenas para ti en el 2019! ❤️❤️❤️😘😘😘 con mucho cariño y una enorme admiración! 😍😘

    Un a excompanera chilena, exiliada en Sao Paulo.

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  26. Muchas, muchas gracias,a quienes dejaron 65 comentarios en Facebook, y a las 7 personas que lo compartieron en sus propios muros; gracias por iluminarme el oscuro fin de año en esta isla bonita pero fria. Besos y abrazos. Y gracias nuevamemte. también a quien la tradujo al castellano en Santiago.

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  27. Dra Maria Cristina Gonzalez, desde Venezuela
    "Feliz año, querida y dilecta amiga, Mucha vida, mucha salud, mucho amor en tu corazon...... se le quiere"

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