President Javier Milei and his entourage downplayed the police repression during the retirees' march and supported the Minister of Security, Patricia Bullrich, in charge of the massive operation at the Congress that left more than 20 injured. The Casa Rosada assured that Bullrich acted with the president's backing and predicts that the images of the repression will not affect the Government.
The violence during last Wednesday's march has deepened the division in society. In contrast, Ad Hoc indicated that the publications about Bullrich had a high negativity of 51%. It remains uncertain whether violence will increase in future demonstrations and how the Government will react to this possibility.
Last Wednesday, in addition to the violence outside the Congress, clashes were also reported inside the legislative building. The last session in the Chamber of Deputies was suspended after a fistfight between a former ally of Milei and another deputy from La Libertad Avanza. This episode adds to the existing divisions within the political class.
The Government considers that the march of retirees was positive for the ruling party, as the majority of Argentines support ending the violence of the hooligans. During the demonstration, Patricia Bullrich was the most mentioned leader and received a high level of criticism.
Amidst this context, Congress, transformed into a wrestling arena, reflects a less favorable image for democracy. The Government defends that they acted in accordance with the law during the march. Polarization, verbal and physical attacks are becoming increasingly common in Argentina.
