Argentine human rights groups file complaint against government in IACHR

[peppertree]

Two human rights organizations and two press unions filed a precautionary measure before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), requesting protection after national security forces thwarted pacific protests outside Congress on Wednesday and Thursday while President Javier Milei’s omnibus bill was being discussed inside.

The document demanded protection for 35 media workers and lawyers defending demonstrators, whom the police hurt with rubber bullets and chemical agents during the January 31 and February 1 protests.

The text accused Federal Police officers of using an “illegal and abusive less lethal” weapon, referencing agents who sprayed unregistered chemical hand-held irritants on journalists and demonstrators while also beating them with batons.

The request was filed by the Center for Legal and Social Studies (CELS), the Center of Professionals for Human Rights (CeProDH), the Buenos Aires’ Press Union (SiPreBA), and Argentina’s Photojournalist Association (Argra).

Let's make a deal

The omnibus bill, which the Lower House partially approved on Friday (leaving just 224 of its initial 664 clauses), calls for business deregulation and the privatization of more than a dozen state-owned companies — including state media agencies and outlets.

It also grants far-reaching legislative powers to the president for one year, renewable by Congress.

The margin - 144 yeas to 109 nays - was reportedly also reached after numerous private, off-site meetings in upscale hotels and lobbyists' apartments.

The bill heads to the Senate - where opposition, center-left Peronists are better poised to block its passage.

At: https://buenosairesherald.com/human-rights/argentine-human-rights-groups-file-complaint-against-government-in-iachr

Federal militarized police forces quash a protest by Argentine seniors yesterday, as the Lower House reached agreement on passage of far-right President Javier Milei's deregulation, privatization, and rule-by-decree bill.

Protesters and journalists alike were assailed by both rubber bullets, and an as-yet unidentified pepper spray which causes severe irritation - a chemical agent not yet approved for use in Argentina, and therefore likely illegal.

The country's already-struggling economy has collapsed since Milei was elected two months ago, as businesses began taking advantage of price deregulation clauses even before their (as-yet uncertain) passage - raising wholesale prices by an astonishing 54% in December alone.

[Judi Lynn]

1. Milei has given his Security Minister, Guinness World Record contender, alcoholic Patricia Bullrich the green light

to go for broke, it seems! He may have sweetened the deal by offering to pay her in booze.

Looks as if she has challenged the national police to aim at outdoing the record already set by Chile's Carabineros who amazed the world during Sebastián Piñera's Presidency by focusing on using rubber bullets to shoot out eyes of protesters, succeeding in blinding many of them.

People notice that countries with violent dictators or military juntas quickly crush dissent by using extreme violence against everyone who dares challenge their will to rule without restrictions. Shuts them up every time once the would-be protesters die in the streets and powerful lunatics send their police to their homes, jobs, or snatch them off the streets, and torture, and execute them, often done in ways to strike terror into the hearts and minds of the population. Total fear paralyzes a country, ambitious monsters learned long ago.

It's horrible learning Milei has jumped right into high fascist gear almost immediately. Looks as if he is expecting protest to grow loud, persistent, and powerful when he starts really ripping apart what's left of the economy and turning it over to the predator class, and he intends to stomp it all flat now, before it can get organized and become a problem for him and his vampire cronies.

It's totally alarming hearing Patricia Bullrich's national cops have been informed it won't be held against them if they decide to start aiming for their eyes right at the start of Milei's "Presidency." It is designed to put a real chill in the air once they realize they can go home blind from the next demonstration, if they don't mysteriously die, which already happened under recent fascist Mauricio Macri.

Very sobering moment for Argentina and concerned human beings everywhere, peppertree. Thank you.

[peppertree]

2. Absolutely, Judi. Had this happened under a left-wing president, Washington would be slapping sanctions already

And rightfully so.

But Milei had ripped up every agreement with China he could get his claws on - including billions in infrastructure investments and currency swaps (which the country sorely needs to help pay for its trade deficit with China).

And that's all that Washington Cold-warniks (who, as you know, still rule the U.S. policy roost - even under Democrats) needed to know about him.

That said - I think Biden understands that this rabid fiend could only be a huge liability to the U.S., if Biden is perceived as being supportive of his misrule in any way.

Because as you very well described, the Milei regime isn't a slow-motion train wreck - it's a very high-speed one.

Cry for Argentina.

Thanks as always for your added background and insights, Judi - as well as your good vibes. Qué será.