“The looting attempts are the result of the broken country that they are leaving us. Nothing justifies these attacks on private property or the government’s inaction. We need order and that’s it,” said opposition candidate Patricia Bullrich.
The AFP Verification Service detected the circulation of videos of looting from other times on social networks. The events, although isolated, brought back the memory of violent looting perpetrated during the Social Democratic governments of Presidents Raúl Alfonsín, in 1989, and Fernando de la Rúa, in 2001. But the actual looting and robbery attempts were confirmed by the police and the media. Communication.
“It is tragic to see again after 20 years the same images of looting that we saw in 2001 (during the country’s biggest crisis). Poverty and looting are two sides of the same coin. Argentina no longer resists this impoverishing model,” Milei said in a message on the social network X, formerly known as Twitter.
Milei clarified hours later in another message that, however, “she does not endorse violence.”
In what context do these events occur?
Amid the confusion generated by the results of the primaries 10 days ago, which left the ultraliberal Milei with ample chances of winning the presidency, the government announced a 21% devaluation agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to unlock disbursements from the credit of 44,000 million dollars.
It was followed by a barrage of price remarks of 30% and the stupefaction of the population. Consultants expect a double-digit cost of living increase for August and September.
Inflation is one of the highest in the world, with 115% year-on-year and poverty at 40%.
Argentina will elect a president on October 22 in general elections in which Milei, Bullrich and the Minister of Economy, Sergio Massa, appear as favorites with close to a third of the votes each.
The election could be defined in a ballot in November, according to experts.
With information from AFP and Reuters