He was given for dead and honored in multiple ceremonies as one of the 649 Argentine combatants who lost their lives 25 years ago in the Malvinas war. However just a few days ago with the help of the Internet his sister discovered that Efrain Renato Salcedo was alive, but imprisoned in Brazil, reports the Argentine press.
Last Sunday Alicia was browsing in the web looking for information on her brother when to her surprise his name appeared as one of the inmates in a Sergipe state prison, sentenced to seven years for robbery.
"My brother was a combatant in Falklands/Malvinas and has been officially disappeared for 25 years, since 1982, and now we find him in a Brazilian prison", Alicia told a local broadcasting station in Cordoba where the family lives.
Alicia confirmed that the Argentine Federal Police has already contacted Argentine consular officials in Brazil to obtain further information about Efrain who has been disappeared for the last 25 years.
"We were convinced he was dead. My mother could never overcome his loss and died of sorrow", revealed Alicia.
Apparently Brazilian Judge Geni Silveira Schuster on February 1st, 2005, sentenced Renato Salcedo to six years and eight months in jail for robbery. He also faces court costs.
"We want to get in touch with him because we want him back with us. It's so many years and we are requesting help to reunite the family," pleaded Alicia in Cordoba.
However apparently this is not the first time the long lost Malvinas veteran has been in trouble with Brazilian authorities. His Brazilian file indicates he was previously sentenced in another state for a similar crime.
