In an interview with Romina Manguel, lawyer and libertarian figure Francisco Oneto had an unusual moment when he stated that he would declare a state of siege if he were the mayor of Buenos Aires City. The state of siege is an exceptional measure that can only be declared by the President of the Nation, with the approval of Congress, in cases of internal turmoil or external attack. Oneto mentioned: "Yes, of course. I am the mayor of CABA and I declare a state of siege". He later clarified that the state of siege is declared by regions and is an exclusive power of the President of the Nation.
During the conversation, Oneto also defended the actions of Security Minister Patricia Bullrich during last Wednesday's retirees' march. When asked if he was the President of the Nation, he answered affirmatively. Oneto, who was a candidate for vice-governor of Buenos Aires Province for La Libertad Avanza in 2023 alongside Carolina Piparo, stated that he would apply the state of siege in the porteño district. When questioned about unlawful arrests and reports of police abuse, he downplayed the incidents, mentioning that he doubted anyone who went daily to Plaza Congreso would be arrested that day and showed ignorance about the case of a 12-year-old boy who was detained.
In another controversial statement, Oneto supported police repression and claimed that a minor "with a Molotov cocktail in hand is just as dangerous as an adult". His statements caused an uproar on social media, where he was criticized for not understanding the functioning of the Argentine institutional system.
