The very delicate social situation in La Rioja escalated in the last few hours and had its point of greatest tension with the protest of the provincial police by which public buildings and provincial bank facilities were left without custody. The demonstration was replicated in other cities of La Rioja and in the capital health personnel joined in. Governor Ricardo Quintela hastened a battery of announcements: he anticipated a salary recomposition for the security forces, although he warned that there is no money and announced that he seeks to implement his own currency. In the meantime, the complaints continue.
The police camped in front of the Government House in La Rioja and demonstrated against Quintela. "Let them all go, let not a single one remain," they intoned. They also exclaimed that "Quintela is afraid."
On Friday night, at the height of the protests, the provincial governor received representatives of the police. At the end of the meeting, the Government of La Rioja announced a salary recomposition, a plan to save on state expenses and the possible launch of a "virtual currency". All this after targeting Javier Milei for an alleged debt of the national government.
In any case, late on Friday the demonstrators continued with their protest and only this Saturday began to vacate the central square, where the Health personnel took over and settled in to demand salary increases.
The call had begun on Thursday night, with the erection of tents in the Plaza 25 de Mayo. This Saturday, Quintela said in an interview with Radio 10 that the representatives of the police officers who protested "apologized" and agreed to a salary recomposition in two payments.
"I told them the situation we are going through (in the province) and they understood. They apologized and we agreed to a recomposition of the salary in two payments because we do not have resources," said the provincial president.
Demonstration by police officers in La Rioja against Governor Quintela for better salaries. Photo: Twitter
However, tension persists in the province and the demand for better salaries was joined by health personnel, who are also protesting with tents in the Plaza 25 de Mayo.
The members of the La Rioja Police assured that they earn only between 250,270 and 800,<> pesos and want to raise that amount to <>,<> pesos, "to be on a par with the Police of other provinces." They submitted a petition to the authorities in which, in addition to the salary increase, they requested respect for working hours, an increase in additional hours and an increase in the "maintenance of uniform".
They also want "no police officer to be persecuted or harmed at work for having fought for a living wage."
Quintela himself received them late on Friday at the seat of government and promised to recompose salaries in two installments: 70% in January salaries and 30% with "the fortnight." To deal with those increases, he announced a chainsaw plan and the evaluation of a virtual currency.
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The governor of La Rioja announced on Saturday that he has called extraordinary sessions in his province for the Legislative Branch to deal with a project that he turned around so that the province has its own currency.
"Today we have not even reached the first week after the payment of salaries. The people of La Rioja are left without money. That is why I called extraordinary sessions to send a bill that authorizes the constitution of a monetary instrument, if necessary," Quintela said, this Saturday at noon, about the currency.
The provincial governor again accused Milei of being responsible for the economic debacle in the province, pointing out that everything became more acute when the President decided to extend the 2023 budget and continued his defense of his own currency by highlighting that La Rioja already had one in 1998 and another was also put into circulation during the 2000-2001 period.
"The currency works on a cash percentage and a bonus percentage. These bonds are received by the province for the payment of services, taxes and fees. As for trade, you have to agree with the Chamber of Commerce to receive this currency as a form of payment," he explained.
Quintela's confrontation with Milei had already had a chapter before the libertarian took office. It was then that he anticipated that he was willing to resign if La Libertad Avanza won the runoff against Sergio Massa, candidate of the Union for the Fatherland. After the second round, however, he changed his mind and publicly greeted Milei.