At dawn and on a Friday, a reform of the local Constitution was approved in Jujuy that establishes the “prohibition of blocking streets and blocking routes” and “any other disturbance to the right to the free movement of people and the improper occupation of buildings public” in the province. This Saturday, protesters took to the streets of Jujuy but were injured and detained by the authorities.
“No to the violence generated by the Frente de Todos, Kirchnerism, La Campora, the Left and the piquetero organizations financed by the national government! This is the worst parallel state that works in the Argentine Republic.”
In this way he responded on his Twitter account andhe governor of Jujuy and promoter of the constitutional reform, Gerardo Morales, to the critics who describe the reform approved on Friday as “undemocratic”.
Gerardo Morales, who intends to aspire to the presidency of Argentina, belongs to the opposition coalition to the ruling Peronism at the national level represented by President Alberto Fernandez and Vice President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. Morales blames the left for the violence in the demonstrations in his province.
The reform of the provincial Constitution ensures the right to assembly and demonstration but “when they are peaceful and without weapons.” Which opens the door to restrict demonstrations that the local government considers “violent.”
Jujuy citizens reacted to the approval of the controversial reform. Demonstrations were registered in various parts of the province in which the demonstrators repudiated the decision of the Constituent Convention of Jujuy and called for the resignation of Morales.
In the streets, the police clashed with the demonstrators, causing several injuries and arrests.
Constitutional reform affects the native peoples of Jujuy
The indigenous communities of Jujuy, estimated at 52,545 people comprising 7.8% of the province’s population, a percentage that is more than triple the national average of 2.4%, are also affected by this constitutional reform.
Although the reform recognizes the pre-existence of native communities and indigenous peoples, it determines that the State is in charge of recognizing their legal status and community possession of the lands.
A policy that is contrary to the historical struggle of indigenous peoples throughout Argentina to access and possess the lands of their ancestors. Mapuches, Ocluyas and other peoples have opposed local governments that allow the exploitation of some real estate and mining companies in ecological reserve areas.
Constitutional reform of Jujuy and political impact in Argentina
The debate on the reform had been taking place in a context of permanent mobilizations by various organizations, particularly the educational sector. So the approved bill is less radical than the original.
The initial project provided for changing the electoral regime to give the governor more power and eliminated the midterm elections to establish that whoever won at the polls, even by one vote, would take the majority of the Legislature.
At the national level there were reactions for the approval of the constitutional reform and the repression against the marches in Jujuy.
The secretary of Human Rights of the national government, Horacio Pietragalla, traveled this Sunday to Jujuy to travel to the conflict zones and visit the prisons where the detainees are located, while planning to meet with Morales.
For his part, the Minister of Public Works, Gabriel Katopodis, warned on his Twitter account that “thousands of people who protest in the streets and routes are beaten to a pulp and detained by the security forces of the province,” adding that one should not “endure this type of decision that curtails basic constitutional rights.”
“We will never agree with that country model that they try to impose. Once again they fully demonstrate how they govern and how they would govern if they came to power,” Katopodis tweeted.
The legislative strength that Gerardo Morales has makes him attractive as a candidate to integrate a presidential formula of the center-right and opposition coalition ´Juntos por el Cambio` in this year’s presidential elections and almost a month before the step or primary elections in August in which it is defined who will be the candidate for the presidency for each political party and coalition.
With EFE and local media
Source: France 24
