MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Cristina Fernandez blasts police: “I don't believe in coincidence nor in contagious events”

The same way “we have integrated the military forces to the democratic proces, we have to do wiith the police forces”

Marking the 30th anniversary of the return of democracy to Argentina, President Cristina Fernández referred to the wave of lootings across the country and police force protests, and stated that “they were no coincidence”, during a rally from the Government House in Buenos Aires on Tuesday evening.

 After granting the Human Rights award to the Spanish singer Juan Manuel Serrat, Cristina Fernández addressed the public, accompanied by Cabinet Chief Jorge Capitanich and Estela de Carlotto among others.

“We have to ratify democracy against the violent and those who seek to install fear in the people. They bring shame to all Argentines”, affirmed the president.

“I am not naive, I do not believe in coincidence nor in events that are contagious. Mumps, measles, rubella, these are contagious, but some of the things that happen in Argentina, on certain dates with certain leaders, are not. They are planned and executed, with military precision.”

In addition, she assured that “in the same way we have integrated the military forces to the democratic processes, we have to do the same thing with the police forces from the provinces.”

“These events are not coincidental because they seek to wear down the values of democracy”, concluded the head of state, in her first intervention followed the lootings in 19 districts.

Former Presidents Fernando de la Rua and Peronist Adolfo Rodriguez Saá were present at the ceremony and sat next to Ricardo Alfonsín, the son of his late namesake who was the first democratic head of state following the military dictatorship of 1976-83. Former presidents Carlos Menem and caretaker Eduardo Duhalde did not attend but sent their support to the rally.

Meanwhile the situation seemed to be back on course in the crucial Buenos Aires province, where 12 of the 40 million Argentines live. However in some smaller provinces, particularly Tucuman there were clashes between local police and protesting neighbors who feel unprotected and exposed to night looting, while the gendarmerie sent from Buenos Aires tried to mediate.

The Catholic Church in an official communiqué from the Episcopal Conference, read out by Monsignor Jose Maria Arancedo called “to drop attitudes that compromise security and social peace” and insisted on dialogue because the situation “involves all of us”.

The long police conflict has created “situations of citizen orphanage” underlined Monsignor Arancedo, who has offered to mediate in the Santa Fe province of his dioceses.