Argentina’s government has announced that it has filed “terrorism charges” against 17 people in the wake of Wednesday’s violent clashes with police during a protest over President Javier Milei’s labour reform bill.
Cabinet Chief Manuel Adorni said in a post on the X social network that the individuals had attacked police and security officers with stones and bottle bombs.
“Attacking the National Congress and assaulting the security forces is a serious crime against the constitutional order,” Adorni said on X. “The national government has filed terrorism charges against those responsible.”
The Security Ministry published the identities of the 17 and details of the warrants that have been issued for their arrest.
The individuals were named as Matías Enzo Roldán, Denis Alejandro Figueredo, Federico Alberto Mazzagalli, Patricio Hernán Castellan, Natanael Benjamín Aguirre, Nahuel Ezequiel Britos, Néstor Alejandro Flores, Manuel Edgardo Barrios, Claudio Marcelo Figueroa, Héctor Rodolfo Cabrera, Lucas Horacio Cabrera, Martín Castiñeiras, Jorge Ismael González, Pedro Antonio Juárez, Roberto Daniel Tassano, Carlos Nicolás Kipper Amalfi, and Lucas Ezequiel Lobato.
The criminal complaint was signed by Manuel Franco, regulations and legislations director at the Security Ministry. He denounced acts of violence, which he described as episodes "with terrorist characteristics."
The complaint requests the arrests of those involved and the application of penalties commensurate with the seriousness of the acts.
Argentina's Senate voted 42-30 on Thursday to pass labour reforms that would make it easier to hire and fire workers, reduce severance pay, limit the right to strike, increase work hours and restrict holiday provisions.
The bill now heads to the lower house Chamber of Deputies, which can still review the text.
Senate approval came the next morning after demonstrators in central Buenos Aires hurled stones and Molotov cocktails at police and security officers, who responded with tear gas and rubber bullets.
A few dozen people, many hooded and masked, clashed with police blocking access to the legislature as lawmakers inside debated the plans.
Four police officers were injured. More than 40 people were arrested, most of whom were freed the next day. Some arrests took place as demonstrators were leaving the area, more than 10 blocks away from the main Congress square.
The initial part of the demonstration, which was called by the CGT umbrella union group, had unfolded peacefully.
Security Minister Alejandra Monteoliva said on X that police have identified the main trouble makers, adding: "We have identified them. We’re going to track them down and put them behind bars."
Those identified by the government “are not yet in custody, but the justice system is now beginning to work,” she added.
– TIMES/AFP/PERFIL
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