MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine Coast and Border Guards conflict unchanged in its fourth day

Security Secretary Sergio Berni promised a reply to the petition before next Tuesday

Argentine Border and Coast Guards members were moving into their fourth day of conflict despite the fact the government of President Cristina Fernandez had deposited their full pay-checks that had been ‘mistakenly’ severely cut, based on Decree 1307. Prospects are that the conflict could extend until Tuesday.

Protesting outside their main headquarters in Buenos Aires, the “Centinela” and “Guardacostas” buildings representatives said they were waiting a reply to their petition on salaries, working conditions and pension contributions, while there were intense versions of ongoing discussions with the top brass of the two forces to unlock the conflict.

Security secretary Sergio Berni said he had received the petition from the protesting border and coast guards, and promised “a reply before next Tuesday”.

Some officers from the Navy and Air Force joined their comrade in arms camped outside the two headquarters while it was revealed that members from the Buenos Aires province police were also beginning to plan actions in demand of higher salaries.

Earlier on Thursday the new head of the Gendarmerie, Enrique Zach, pledged before a group of officers that “no disciplinary measures” will be applied against those who are protesting.

“In line with what was announced yesterday (Wednesday) by Cabinet Chief Juan Manuel Abal Medina, the money owed for the month of September has been deposited in the bank accounts of the Border Guard officer,” the Security Ministry announced in a statement.

The Argentine government responded on Wednesday to the protest by firing the top brass in both security forces and promising to remedy salary “injustices” caused by controversial Decree 1307/12.

Under the new system established by the decree most of the troops would either earn the same or less than they previously had. However, despite widespread sympathy for the cause, politicians of all political stripes condemned the protest, describing it as aggressive and even unconstitutional.

The new head of the Coast Guard Luis Alberto Heiler also held meetings with officers to discuss the situation but there was no immediate solution to the conflict.

The meetings were held at the Guardacosts building with the purpose of “recomposing authority links which deteriorated in recent hours expressed in aggression situations to some higher ranking officers of the force”, said a spokesperson for Heiler.

On Thursday morning members from the two forces said that they would continue with the protests until next Tuesday, when an official reply to the petition was promised and “guaranteed that all duties of the forces are being addressed with normality”. They insisted it was no coup or attack on the democratic system which they support.

“We’re not aggravating the situation: it was all the making of the Ministry of Security, she’s incompetent. We want a basic salary of 7.000 Pesos and full contribution to pension funds. Once they confirm this, in five minutes all is back to normal” one of the protestors was quoted.

Whilst they wait for the Security Ministry's answer over the signed petition presented earlier on Thursday, Border and Coast Guard officers anticipated they might deepen measures if they do not reach an agreement before Tuesday as was promised by the administration of President Cristina Fernandez.