(CNN Spanish) – Facundo Molares Schoenfeld, a 47-year-old Argentine and former member of the FARC guerrilla group, died on Thursday after being detained by the Police during a protest in Buenos Aires. The circumstances surrounding his death are still under investigation.
The City Government of Buenos Aires claims that his death was due to natural causes or existing preconditions. However, leftist groups participating in the protest hold the Argentine Police responsible.
Molares Schoenfeld was participating in a demonstration in Plaza de la República, near the Obelisk. Typically, protesters block traffic at the intersection of Corrientes and 9 de Julio avenues until the crowd is manageable, at which point the City Police evict the protesters and reopen the streets. However, this time, the demonstrators did not block traffic, but the Police were still present.
According to witnesses, the Police began dispersing the demonstrators, and Molares Schoenfeld was allegedly beaten and detained, leading to his death. The City Security Minister confirmed the arrests but denied that those detained had been beaten.
Videos circulating on Argentine media and social networks show a protester being detained and suffering a medical emergency while restrained on the ground. The Police attempt to revive him until an ambulance arrives.
Molares Schoenfeld’s death was certified at the Ramos Mejía Hospital, where he was taken after the incident. The investigation is now in the hands of the Justice and Federal Police, as it involves a local security force.
Molares Schoenfeld, a former photojournalist, had been a member of the FARC for 15 years. He was detained in Argentina for eight months in response to Colombia’s extradition request, accusing him of involvement in the kidnapping of a councilor in 2009. However, he was ultimately released when the Special Jurisdiction for Peace suspended the extradition request.
After leaving Colombia, Molares Schoenfeld worked as a photojournalist in Bolivia until he returned to Argentina in 2019. He was shot three times during the repression of MAS supporters in Bolivia. He spent 13 months imprisoned before being released in December 2020.
In Buenos Aires, Molares Schoenfeld was involved in political activism and was a member of the Popular Rebellion Movement. His death occurred during a protest against the upcoming primary elections.
The investigation into his death continues, and authorities are awaiting the results of the autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.