Roberto Jorge Santoro


Roberto Jorge Santoro was an Argentine poet, publisher and political activist. Santoro created a literary journal and was active with other journals.

Biography

Roberto Jorge Santoro was born on April 17, 1939 in Buenos Aires, his parents were workers. During his lifetime, Santoro worked as painter, street vendor, stallholder in a market, typographer and teacher in an industrial school.
Santoro founded and directed El Barrilete, a literary magazine featuring tango poets Carlos de la Púa, Celedonio Flores, Homero Manzi, Martín Campos, Carlos Patiño, Alberto Costa and Rafael Vásquez. He also collaborated with La Cosa, Gente de Buenos Aires, Papeles de Buenos Aires, La Pluma and La Palabra.
In Literatura de la pelota, Santoro reproduce poems and writings by Argentine intellectuals about their passion for football. this was his attempt to reconcile high culture with popular culture.
Originally a Guevarist, Santoro joined the Workers' Revolutionary Party in the 1960's. In his later poems, Santoro condemned a coercive political system, its moral hypocrisy, and its decadent institutions. He did so with a sense of humor and a sense of the grotesque. His style was effective and forceful.
On June 1, 1977, Santoro was taken from the National School of Technical Education No. 25, where he served as deputy principal. He was never seen again. It is believed that government agents kidnapped and murdered Santoro in response to his political activism.

Works

Some English translations appear in Big Hammer, edited by Dave Roskos. Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 19 edition.