Uprising after protester killed by police raises tension ahead of primary elections

2023-08-12 21:09:14

Argentina is experiencing days of emotion and anger after the death of an activist during a demonstration repressed by the police in Buenos Aires. On Friday (11), just two days before the primaries of the presidential election, thousands of people gathered in the Argentine capital called by leftist organizations to demand justice.

Published on: 08/12/2023 – 21:09

2 min

Theo Consciencecorrespondent for RFI in Buenos Aires

There was tension and revolt around the Obelisk monument in downtown Buenos Aires, the same place where Facundo Morales was arrested before his death on Thursday (10). The left-wing militant of the Popular Rebellion group (MRP) and former member of the FARC in Colombia died of cardiac arrest after being detained by the police while participating in a demonstration against Sunday’s elections (13).

“He was murdered”, accuses Nilo. This former dictatorship exile was not present at Thursday’s protest, but watched the video of Morales’ arrest that circulated on social media. “They threw him to the ground and witnesses saw one policeman kneel on his back and another on his neck. They asphyxiated him,” he describes.

The authorities of the city of Buenos Aires allege that Morales was not attacked by the police, and that his cardiac arrest would be linked to pre-existing risk factors.

#It’sNotcia

In the afternoon of this #10ago, it was learned about the death of the journalist, Facundo Morales, in the midst of the protests that were taking place at the Obelisk of Buenos Aires, in Argentina. Authorities revealed that he suffered a heart attack.#VenezuelaNews pic.twitter.com/BlTNWeiBpn

— Venezuela News Agency (@venezuelanewsVN) August 11, 2023

“Demonstration is a constitutional right,” asserts emphatically Dina Sanchez, a member of the Frente Popular Dario Santillan, who insists that repression has no place in the tense social climate of an Argentina in crisis.

“There are many demonstrations, people take to the streets because there is a lot of discontent, malaise. And the police response, which should protect the population, cannot be repression”, she adds.

The leftist militant believes that the order to repress the demonstration was given by the head of government of the city of Buenos Aires, Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, who is also a candidate in the presidential primaries.

Primaries

Argentines go to the polls this Sunday to choose the parties and leaders that will run in the presidential election on October 22. Former President Alberto Fernández (Peronist and center-left) is not a candidate for re-election.

In the ruling coalition camp, Economy Minister Sergio Massa is almost certain to be the presidential candidate.

But, in the right-wing opposition, a duel still without a favorite will be played between the mayor of Buenos Aires, Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, and the more right-wing candidate Patricia Bullrich, former Minister of Security in the presidency of Mauricio Macri (2015-2019).