Argentina | With batons, tear gas, and rubber bullets

What is the new security protocol of Javier Milei's government all about?

The security protocol is primarily aimed at demonstrations and protests , which traditionally take place on the streets in Argentina . To this end, the right to protest in the streets is declared a crime requiring police intervention. Security measures are carried out by federal police forces, who are not typically trained for this purpose. This results in the disproportionate and unlawful use of non-lethal weapons such as batons, tear gas, and rubber bullets.

Public demonstrations thus become a balancing act between criminal activity and freedom of expression. What are the consequences?

We are witnessing a process of criminalization in which the legal remedies of the criminal law are being abused. In a scenario where protesting on the streets constitutes a criminal offense, the state is shirking its duty to ensure the safety of demonstrators. This also applies to the safety of demonstrators from the state security forces themselves, who are prohibited from attacking or harming demonstrators. Numerous people are being arbitrarily arrested, at best for one night, at worst for weeks or months, and accused of serious crimes.

In March, photographer Pablo Grillo was hit in the face by a tear gas grenade during a demonstration, suffering life-threatening injuries. The human rights organization CELS is one of the plaintiffs in this case. How are the investigations progressing?

Evidence is still being collected and presented. Over the past few months, we have collected photos and videos of the incident. The weapon used to fire the grenade has been confiscated, and the court plans to reconstruct the incident using the original weapon to determine the distance, speed, and dynamics of the shot. Furthermore, a medical examination has been conducted with the involvement of the forensic medical services to determine the severity of Pablo Grillo's injuries and the risk to his life posed by this incident.

But the government's crackdown on critics is not limited to street protests, is it?

No. The Milei government is clearly pursuing a confrontational approach, for example, against journalists who criticize its decisions. This is reflected in a completely abusive and unnecessary use of the judicial system, aimed at intimidating and simultaneously disciplining journalists, as well as other individuals who express criticism. This ignores the tolerance threshold that a public official, especially a president, should have towards critical statements.