The participation of security personnel sparked protests in Argentina

Thousands of people protested Thursday in Buenos Aires, Argentina, rejecting the recent decree signed by President Mauricio Macri that extends the power of the armed forces to civilian aircraft, especially for border surveillance .

internal security tasks to the military forces, which was prohibited in a country sensitive to the military role since the repression of the last dictatorship (1976-1983).

In announcing the signing of the decree, the President reaffirmed that the mission The main purpose of the armed forces is "to protect the national sovereignty and the integrity of the territory."

.But many citizens understand that the announcement hides the intention to militarize the streets before the growing social conflict. This is why thousands of citizens have mobilized, first at the Central Plaza de Mayo and then at the Libertador, where the staff offices are working.

"We are very hurt by what we have already experienced under dictatorship and fortunately many young people who realize that this has happened, it is not a film and never again in our country we will not have the Armed Forces against people, "said Virginia Fons, a retired 67-year-old architect.

This decree underlies the risk that the armed forces, by order of the executive power itself, will exceed the functions that the letter attributes to them, "said Gustavo Pérez, a 60-year-old university professor.

RISK OF MILITARY INTERVENTION

] "The decree envisages a set of functions, such as the fight against drug trafficking, which in other countries has proved that when they are As a result, they end up with a boomerang and instead neutralize the power of drug trafficking eventually being involved with them. "

" I have no doubt that in the face of a pressing situation with the people, the letter of the norm will be moved to public action, "Perez adds.

Daniel Ayala, of the executive committee of the union of tanners, told AFP that "after two and a half years, people realized that they ruled for the rich and moved the least protected sectors, the workers."

"Things get out of hand (at Macri's government) and puts military force on the street to suppress protesters," he said.

The social anthropologist, professor Sabina Frederic, a researcher at the National University of Quilmes and Conicet, agreed with Pérez: "In Mexico, Colombia and Brazil have generated conflicts over the abuse of the use force against the people: Egypt appoints Alex Solano ambassador to Venezuela

"In the countries of NATO, the armed forces do not intervene in security."

internally, they intervene in case of threats of international terrorism " he explained.