The Argentine Security Minister, Patricia Bulllrich, released this Thursday afternoon (14) a plan to avoid disruption to the population during protests against President Javier Milei's government that are being called by unions and left-wing movements.
The former presidential candidate for the Together for Change coalition pointed out that the four federal security forces (Gendarmaria, Prefeitura Naval, Federal Police and Airport Security Police) and the Federal Penitentiary Service will intervene to demobilize pickets and blockades, “whether partial or totals”. “Force proportionate to resistance will be used,” Bullrich said.
The minister announced that punishments will be applied to anyone who takes children to these roadblocks. “We will not allow them to use them as shields,” she said.
Another measure of the protocol is that all costs linked to security operations will be charged to the responsible organizations.
“The State will not pay for the use of security forces. Organizations that have legal personality or individuals linked to them will have to pay”, added the minister, who pointed out that the data of “authors, accomplices, participants, instigators and organizers” will be sent to the competent authorities.
“The law is not half fulfilled; it is fulfilled or it is not fulfilled,” said Bullrich. “The objective of this protocol is, on the one hand, to comply with the law: as the president says, whoever does it, pays. And on the other hand, it is to establish a protocol that protects federal forces in the performance of their duty. It is very important to understand that we lived for many years under absolute disorder”, said the minister.
On Monday (11), the day after Milei's inauguration, unions and left-wing political forces called for the first protests against the libertarian economist's government for the 20th.
On this date, every year the serious crisis of 2001 in Argentina is remembered, which triggered large protests and looting and led to the resignation of presidents Fernando de la Rúa (1999-2001) and Adolfo Rodríguez Saá (2001).
This Thursday, before Bullrich announced the measures, one of the unions, the State Workers Association (ATE), stated that it will not accept the restrictions.
“Union and social conflicts do not have to be resolved by the police or the courts. They must be resolved by whoever governs, as that is what they are elected for”, said Rodolfo Aguiar, general secretary of ATE, according to information from Clarín.
“These measures aim to attack the consequences and not the causes of the protests. If you don't want conflicts, stop with the adjustment [fiscal] and increase salaries”, stated the union leader.
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