At least five people have been killed and hundreds injured as the looting in Argentina spreads. Taking advantage of the police strike people have been burglarizing homes and shops as the police do nothing. Officers have refused to go on duty until they are given a pay raise. The first police walk out took place last week in Cordoba province. The governor of Cordoba agreed to double the pay of police virtually ending the looting. The strike and the looting then spread to 17 of the 23 of Argentina's provinces.
The looting has become so bad that many shop keepers have closed their door or have now armed themselves with guns. Cabinet Chief to President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, Jorge Capitanich said the acts of looting were planned by groups looking to cause chaos and panic on the 30th anniversary of Argentina returning to a democratic government. "In some ways, this amounts to the crime of treason," Capitanich said to reporters. Capitanich said that the national government was in contact with province leaders in an effort to negotiate any police pay issues.
On Monday officers from at least nine departments were still on strike demanding higher pay. Federal troops have been deployed to the various provinces in an effort to stop the looting. According to the New York Times government officials have been accusing opposing politicians of fomenting this new series of looting. Analysts disagree saying it was the government's failure to reduce poverty that led to this crisis. A sociologist at the University of Buenos Aires, Carlos F. De Angelis told the NY Times, "There is still a nucleus that remains impoverished, that sees nothing positive on the horizon."
© 2024 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.