The Chief of Police of Jujuy, Horacio Herbas Mejías, spoke about the actions of the security forces against the protesters and denounced a plan orchestrated “from outside” to foment violence. On the other hand, he spoke about the situation of the detainees and anticipated that this Wednesday the 21st they will seek to “contain” the protests.
After the stones against the legislature followed by fires and the subsequent response of the local police with sticks, rubber bullets, gases and arrests, the head of the local police repeated the version of the governor Gerardo Morales and stated that there were groups outside the province that encouraged the protests.
“We Jujeños know each other by physiognomy and tune. I can assure you that they were not Jujeños. I have a lot of family in Buenos Aires and it is a tune from Buenos Aires. People who were haranguing, men with their faces covered, as if they had received an order and they began to execute it,” said Herbas Mejías.
Images from last Tuesday in Jujuy.
In addition, he assured that “the aggression was planned, premeditated, the police did not attack without cause, there was premeditated aggression.” “It is even seen on social networks, you can see in the screams that it is not the tune of Jujuy. I finished verifying that it was indeed organized, but not precisely by people from here, surely with the complicity of some leaders of the province not related to the government. But they had support from outside,” he added.
In interviews given to Mitre y Network, the policeman assured that there were no protesters identified with La Cámpora, something that Morales had slipped with a false photo on social networks that he later deleted. “I did see left-wing parties such as the MST, the CCC, those known parties, but identified with La Cámpora, I did not see them,” he assured.
What Commissioner Herbas Mejías said about the arrests
The balance left by the clashes between the protesters and the police this Tuesday, June 20, was 170 injured and 68 arrested. From the provincial government, they also assured that there were 42 police officers injured.
Militants, teachers and workers: who are the 68 detainees after the protests in Jujuy
Regarding the detainees, Herbas Mejías clarified: “During the day they will see the background, if they tell you an address here and the tune does not correspond, it will be a question for the prosecutor and he will ask for background information at the national level to see where he resides It is an administrative task to be carried out by the prosecutor”.
In addition, he spoke of how the police acted before the advance of the protesters. “Once the first security perimeter is violated, given the seriousness of the situation because I could not allow cars to be burned, individuals asking for help, businesses looted, I cannot remain inert either, the police do not need an order other than to fulfill their mandate, preserve public order and social peace“, he stressed.
Jujuy: just a sample of how difficult it will be
The police chief spoke about the claims of this Wednesday 21
Regarding the protests that are being registered this Wednesday, Herbas Mejías maintained that cuts are maintained on national routes 9, 34 and 66, where he assured that the Gendarmerie should intervene.
“We are pending, the cuts continue, unfortunately, with tourists who have the worst image that has not been seen since 2015. Hopefully not (riots occur), we will be vigilant,” he said. Previously, she had highlighted that the police objective would be “contain” the incidents.
CP