2013 police revolts in Argentina
| 2013 police revolts in Argentina | ||||
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| Date | 3–13 December 2013 | |||
| Location |  Argentina |
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| Status | Ended | |||
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Provincial governments
Loyal police
Residents
National government
Argentine National Gendarmerie
The 2013 Police revolts in Argentina were a series of protests by provincial police demanding better pay and working conditions, which affected 21 of Argentina's 23 provinces.
Some of the strike methods included neglect of duty and breaking into public buildings. Due to this situation, looting began to occur in some cities, Córdoba being the most affected, followed by Tucumán. The riots began on 3 December and ended ten days later.
In 2013, an estimated Argentinean inflation rate of 25% had eroded police officer's salaries, which were not automatically inflation index-linked. The wages paid by provincial governments, many of whom rely heavily upon the national government for funding, often failed to keep pace with the rapidly rising cost of living.Christmas-related pressure to buy gifts may have been one trigger for the unrest.
The looting began on 3 December in Cordoba, Argentina’s second-largest city, when the provincial police force went on strike. More than 1,000 stores were robbed, hundreds of people were injured and one person was killed. Cordoba’s governor increased the police force’s basic salaries by 33%, which ended the disorder in Cordoba, but inspired police forces in other provinces.
Forces in 20 of Argentina’s 24 provinces followed the example of their colleagues in Cordoba, inviting widespread robbery and violence. Opportunistic members of the public "broke through shop windows and wrenched open doors to load up wheelbarrows and horse-drawn carriages with food, clothing and furniture". By 11 December, most governors had settled with their police forces, offering salary raises of as much as 45%. In many of these cases, lootings were carried out by organized criminals on motorcycles or by foot, who broke in different neighborhoods to steal anything they could find around them. They carried firearms and sticks, among other items.
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Wikipedia