Buenos Aires., Representatives of more than 400 communities of indigenous peoples who marched in the Third Malón de la Paz from Jujuy to publicize the very serious situation in that province, camped out in the open in the square in front of the Palace of Courts, in this capital, waiting for the Supreme Court of Justice to take a resolution on the illegality of the reform of the Jujuy Constitution promoted and materialized by Governor Gerardo Morales.
The local president belongs to the opposition right-wing alliance of Together for Change and, in the face of the massive protest, resorted to violent repression since last June, using methods known from the past military dictatorship (1976-1983).
The Buenos Aires head of government, Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, pre-candidate for the presidency for the right-wing Together for Change, in full repression in Jujuy, called on the governor to accompany him as vice president, in addition to congratulating him on his actions in the quelling of demonstrations.
The day before yesterday, during the round of the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, as every Thursday in front of the government headquarters, the indigenous representatives arrived in a moving action to unite the struggles for human rights.
They also debated with deputies and senators from the ruling party, together with union leaders, social organizations and defenders of fundamental guarantees. There was talk of the possibility of creating a bicameral commission to investigate what happened in Jujuy, both with the issue of constitutional reform, and with the brutal repression, which continues in different locations, such as Purmamarca.
Since last day 1, when they arrived in Buenos Aires, the members of El Malón de la Paz requested that the president of the Court receive a group of their leaders. They only managed to get one to pass and deliver a letter to a secretary of the magistrates, who warned that on their agenda they do not have time to attend to them.
Immediately, one of the lawyers accompanying the indigenous people, who also acts in defense of his imprisoned or persecuted colleagues in Jujuy, Eduardo Barcesat, denounced that “the original peoples once again suffered unnecessary mistreatment by the judges.”
From different organizations and leaders of indigenous peoples came the demand for an intervention by the national government against the generalized violation of human rights in Jujuy, which must have the approval of Congress, where the right-wing opposition is against the demands of the institutions popular and even “solidarize with Governor Morales”.
The interim Attorney General of the Nation, Eduardo Casal, ruled last night in favor of the Supreme Court of Justice reviewing the legitimacy of the reform of the Constitution of Jujuy, and giving rise to the claims of the national government. “In my view, in view of the nature of the parties that have to intervene in the lawsuit, the cause corresponds to the original jurisdiction of the Court,” he determined.
Through press conferences, the leaders of El Malón de la Paz assured that from now on they will remain in a permanent assembly and continue their demand peacefully. There was talk of discrimination and the insensitivity of judges to their requests.
The Secretary for Human Rights, Horacio Pietragalla, stated: “We know which system the Supreme Court responds to; It is not precisely that they side with the communities, but on the contrary, they respond to the PRO, to Cambiemos, of which Gerardo Morales is a part. We must wait for them to rule on the matter and if they do so negatively, the matter will go to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.”
A series of complaints from different organizations and political forces in this capital warned that the indigenous leader Milagro Sala, illegally detained since January 16, 2016, by decision of the governor, was trying to be released from her house arrest, to take her to a jail.
With her husband dying, and herself in a serious health situation, Governor Morales prevented her from being transferred to a medical institute in Buenos Aires for urgently needed treatment.
