President Alberto Fernández has called on Jujuy Governor Gerardo Morales to suspend a controversial reform to the province’s constitution and comply with international human rights standards.

“Forty years on from the return of democracy, it’s inadmissible that state violence should be the answer to legitimate demands and the expression of its communities,” he said in a speech broadcast from the Casa Rosada. “Denying the right to protest is to curtail constitutional freedoms and democratic life.”

The president read excerpts from international human rights organizations condemning the repression of protests against a constitutional reform that was approved last week, asking Morales to call Indigenous communities and other social sectors to the table to resolve the conflict “caused by antidemocratic actions.”

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“I want the governor to know that he can personally count on me and has the support of the national government,” Fernández said. “Anytime he calls for dialogue, he will have help.”

Fernández also said that the government will analyze the constitutionality of Morales’ reforms, announcing that representatives from the Human Rights Secretariat, Indigenous Affairs Agency and the National Disability Agency have been sent to Jujuy.

“I urge [Morales] once more to comply with international human rights standards. It’s not this president asking, it’s our people and the world who are demanding an end to state violence in Jujuy,” said the president.

Morales is a politician for opposition coalition Juntos por el Cambio (JxC) and a presidential hopeful. Since the escalation of tensions, politicians from JxC have voiced support for the Jujuy governor.

On Sunday, Morales accused Fernández and Vice President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner (no relation) of being behind the violence in the province. Both answered on Twitter yesterday, saying that Morales was the only person responsible. 

Today, following a habeas corpus filed by the National Human Rights Secretariat to stop the repression, local judge Jorge Zurueta asked the provincial police not to use excessive force against demonstrators. The judge also recommended a mediation between the parties with the participation of the Bishopric of the province of Jujuy.

“Without the right to protest we have nothing”

Teachers have been protesting in Jujuy since June 5, calling for higher salaries. Following negotiation attempts, Morales issued an executive decree allowing the authorities to punish and fine those “remaining in public areas, disturbing the peace, hindering the free circulation of vehicles and/or pedestrians, causing fear in the population or illegally limiting in any way the free exercise of citizens’ rights.” 

The governor later repealed the decree, but the strike continued. By this stage, the plan to reform the constitution had been confirmed, and the protesters’ list of demands grew to reject the proposed reform, which criminalizes protests by banning roadblocks. 

Indigenous communities joined the protests, blocking roads across the province in rejection of the reform and calling for Morales’ resignation. The Provincial Constitutional Assembly, whose members were elected on May 7 with Morales as its head, was set to modify several articles regarding private property, evictions and Native land rights despite there being no Indigenous political representation in the assembly.

Although some of those modifications were scaled back, a partial constitutional reform was approved on Friday, June 16 and protests across the province intensified. A series of brutal police crackdowns which began on Saturday has so far left at least 170 people injured and 68 arrested. Argentine social media is awash with images of bloodied protesters and bystanders alongside videos of those being detained telling the camera what’s happening to them.

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Following the repression, more protests erupted around the country in solidarity with Jujuy, including a massive march to Jujuy’s Provincial House this afternoon. 

“Morales has turned his back on the people, he has never consulted us,” Carlos Choqe, an independent protester from Jujuy living in Buenos Aires, told the Herald yesterday at a smaller rally at the Obelisco. “We don’t want blood, we aren’t politicians, we are those who defend our lands like our fathers and grandfathers.”

He was holding a white placard asking for the president to intervene. His wife, Adela, was raising a brown sign which read “Morales, you’ve taken so much from us you’ve taken away our fear.” She told the Herald she could not speak about Jujuy because it hurt so much.

“We were up all night on the phone, watching what’s been happening,” Choqe said. “My sister raises livestock in Jujuy and I can’t stand seeing her cry so much anymore.”

“We don’t want to live under a dictator, we want to be free. Without the right to protest we have nothing.”