MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Massa says hatred and violence destroy societies

Massa also longed for all those responsible to be held accountable

Superminister of Economy Sergio Massa was among the first to condemn through his Twitter account the attack against Argentine Vice President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner (CFK):

“When hatred and violence prevail over the debate of ideas, they destroy societies and generate situations like today's: an assassination attempt. All my solidarity to Cristina Kirchner and her family,” said Massa. “And my wish that all responsibilities are determined,” he added.

The opposition block of PRO Deputies issued a statement expressing their “solidarity and the most energetic repudiation of the attack that the Vice President, Cristina Kirchner, has just suffered.”

“We call for an urgent investigation of the events that took place, and we call on society as a whole to become aware of the danger caused by the climate of tension and confrontation that is being experienced”, they said.

Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero found the attack to be “the most serious act of political violence since the return of democracy.” He stressed that “they wanted to kill @CFKArgentina.”

PRO Deputy and former Buenos Aires Deputy Mayor Diego Santilli underlined that “these images are chilling and a threat not only to @CFKArgentina but to our democracy. Violence is intolerable, always. My solidarity with the Vice President.”

Hernán Lombardi, Minister of Culture under former President Mauricio Macri explained that “here there is a victim who is Cristina Kirchner, strong solidarity with her.”

For his part, the Minister of Social Development of the Nation, Juan Zabaleta, called for an “urgent action of justice”. “They tried to kill the Vice-President of the Nation. It is extremely serious what has just happened,” said the former mayor of Hurlingham. “Urgent action of justice and repudiation of all political forces. The permanent hate speeches have to stop NOW. All my solidarity and support to Cristina Kirchner”, he added.

“God protected her [CFK]. The police did not. Now it is up to us to take care of her,” social leader Juan Grabois who acts as a political de facto envoy of Pope Francis, said.

And despite all the expressions from Macrism in favor of CFK, Justice Minister Martín Soria insisted that “the opposition must cease its escalation of hatred and violence.”

“In 1983, our people said Never Again to political violence, which historically was exercised against Peronism,” he argued.