In the early hours of this Thursday, Matías Paredes, 26 years old, was shot dead by four bullets fired by plainclothes police officers in Mar del Plata. Matías and two other young men, returning home after attending an event at Club Alvarado, were chased by five police officers in unmarked cars without official identification in the Bosque Grande neighborhood.
Without issuing a stop order or identifying themselves at any point, the police attempted to intercept the young men and shot at them, resulting in the tragic death of Matías Paredes and leaving another of his companions injured and hospitalized at the Interzonal Hospital.
This case, reminiscent of the San Miguel del Monte massacre in 2019, has sparked outrage in the community. So far, there have been no arrests for this crime, despite the fact that all local District authorities were dismissed just two days ago by Governor Kicillof, following a robbery that ended in the murder of a merchant.
The new head of the Department is Edgardo Vulcano, appointed by Kicillof, which has raised criticism due to his previous performance in Miramar, where he was involved in another police murder in 2021. Rosa Mauregui, a local leader of the PTS – Left Front, has demanded justice for Matías and denounced the hardline policies promoted by Mayor Montenegro and Governor Kicillof.
In recent weeks, the Mar del Plata branch of the provincial force has been at the center of several scandals, including the prosecution of heads of the Illicit Drugs division for corruption. The impunity with which these officers act and the history of police violence in the region have reignited the debate on the need for reforms in law enforcement to prevent tragedies like that of Matías Paredes.
