Santa Fe police lift protest after governor announces better wages and conditions

Protests by the Santa Fe provinces police officers escalated on Wednesday morning, as the demonstrators cut roads with patrol cars and assaulted the chief of Police. Five hours later, Governor Maximiliano Pullaro gave a press conference to announce better salaries and conditions for all personnel, including technical, administrative staff. He informed that the provincial government would raise the monthly minimum wage for every police officer to AR$1.3 million. We have not seen economic growth, but we have made efforts [for salaries to] stay ahead of inflation, Pullaro said. We also understand that police and prison service personnel, as part of a public safety program, deserved to have the government listen to this genuine and fair demand. This demand was addressed, he added. Half an hour later, the police ended its protest. The conflict Active and retired police officers held protests this week, together with their families, in several cities in the Santa Fe province, over low salaries and mental health issues. In Rosario, a city marked by violence associated with drug dealers, the demonstrations took place on Monday and Tuesday in the early morning in front of the government house and the police headquarters. On Wednesday morning, among blasting sirens, police chief Luis Maldonado arrived at the protest, which was being held outside the police headquarters. The officers pushed and insulted Maldonado, who took refuge inside the building. During the conflict, the provincial government suspended 20 police officers who took part in the protests and took their service weapons and bulletproof vests. Videos circulated on social media showed tense scenes, like a police officer trying to talk a group of his masked colleagues and relatives out of the protest, saying it will not be perceived badly. Earlier this month, an officer from the city of Vera shot himself in the head at a police station, sparking a debate on the working conditions and the psychological toll of the job. Provincial authorities had been aware of these issues. Last week, the government, led by Governor Maximiliano Pullaro, announced some measures benefiting officers. He announced a financial bonus to street personnel and a free-of-charge comprehensive mental health coverage for the officers, which will include professional care, medications, and support for family members. The government also said it would expand free transportation for the officers and provide free accommodation in Rosario and Santa Fe for those living in other cities. But the measures did not include technical and administrative personnel, nor 911 staff. Thus, the conflict escalated.