The government announced that it will add AR$590 million (around US$415,000 at the official exchange rate) to the National Bank of Genetic Data (BNDG, in Spanish) following a court order demanding that the institution’s operation be guaranteed.
The decision comes after Federal Judge Alejo Ramos Padilla ordered the Chief of Cabinet’s Office to ensure the continuity of the agency, which plays a key role in identifying children appropriated during the last dictatorship.
In an official notice sent to federal judges on May 8, the institution’s technical director, Mariana Herrera Piñero, warned that it would no longer be able to carry out genetic testing requested by the judiciary “strictly due to budgetary reasons.”
According to court filings, the budget approved by the government for 2026 covered only 55.96% of the funds requested by the BNDG, jeopardizing its ability to carry out essential forensic work and preserve genetic material.
Ramos Padilla stressed that the institution fulfills an “essential and irreplaceable” role in crimes against humanity cases, as it is the official body responsible for conducting genetic analyses aimed at identifying the children of disappeared persons.
