Argentina: Nearly 30 people arrested after a wave of looting at supermarkets

Argentina has been going through a rough few days. Last weekend, there was a wave of looting throughout the country. It all began in Mendoza and Neuquén, then spread to Córdoba and this Tuesday expanded to the city of Buenos Aires and some districts of the Buenos Aires suburbs. Around 30 people have been arrested so far, according to AFP.

In the city José C. Paz, according to the newspaper La Nación, four people were arrested for robbing the Día supermarket chain. "Three of them were trying to flee with stolen merchandise, while the fourth was on a motorcycle, waiting for a woman who was inside" the news outlet explained.

The sources who spoke to the media outlet claim that shots were also fired at the scene. Videos were posted on social media showing how the businesses were robbed. While the situation has people worried, Alberto Fernández's socialist government blamed the right-wing candidate, Javier Milei, for provoking the situation. Presidential spokeswoman Gabriela Cerruti accused Milei of encouraging people to loot.

"This is an armed operation by Javier Milei's people that aims to generate destabilization," Cerruti said in a video on his Instagram account. In addition, Cerruti claimed that everything is organized through WhatsApp chat and called Milei's political party "undemocratic." "There is no such looting: there are rumors and agitation through WhatsApp groups because they are deeply undemocratic," Cerruti said.

Meanwhile, Argentina's Security Minister Anibal Fernandez also said the looting was not spontaneous, but declined to name the alleged perpetrators. "They're not spontaneous [the looting], it's not a coincidence. If I knew who was behind it, I would have started there. We still do not have reliable information to say: 'Fulano and Mengano are responsible,'" Fernandez said in a statement reported by La Nación.

"We are summoning them"

Despite Alberto Fernández's accusations against Milei, the socialist leader of the Independent Movement of Retired and Unemployed, Raúl Castells, took credit for provoking people to rob businesses throughout the country. "When hunger is law, rebellion is justice. We have been telling the government," Castells said.

"We are here because the government did away with providing food to 11 million children and adults throughout the country three months ago by order of Sergio Massa and Victoria Tolosa Paz. Food gets delivered and in 24 hours everything is gone," said the socialist leader.