The Buenos Aires Minister of Security, Waldo Wolffdefended this Friday the ““special order and cleanliness operations” carried out by the City of Buenos Aires to evict people who live homeless. The clarification took place after the controversy that was unleashed by some posts by the head of Government, Jorge Macri in which it showed the removal of “ranchadas” in Palermo and Recoleta with a “before and after.”
The post, titled “Special order and cleaning operation in Recoleta and Palermo” showed two images: in the top one you can see people on the streets and in the second how the space was left after the municipal employees passed by. In one of the posts, you could see a person sleeping on a public bench in Guatemala and Uriarte, and in the following image the empty bench.
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“One of the requests that neighbors make to us is that the public space, in addition to being safe, is clean and orderly. That is why we carry out these special operations in which the Public Space Planning area, the City Police, members of the Buenos Aires Presente program and the intensive cleaning crew participate. We will continue working steadily to ensure that residents live in order”, stressed the head of the Buenos Aires government.
Controversy over Jorge Macri’s posts about evictions of homeless people. (Photo: Instagram/@jorgemacri).
In another similar video in San Nicolas, Macri assured “we respond to the neighbors’ complaints and guarantee the cleanliness and safety of public spaces, our squares and sidewalks.”
Waldo Wolff: “There are more people on the streets”
Wolff confirmed that the Buenos Aires Presente (BAP) program crews that operate in this type of cases have increased because There are “more people on the street.” He also assured that “the vast majority that comes from the suburbs” Buenos Aires. “We have more from Monday to Thursday than on weekends. Somehow, They come to try to survive by begging, others selling or cardboarding“, he said in statements to the radio Urban Play.
Wolff insisted that the BAP operatives “are not compulsive” and that they offer homeless people to go to a social inclusion center. In addition, he stated that he increased the number of searches due to complaints of violent situations. “We have increased by 657% the searches for seizure of facas or some tip“, he stated and noted that “the person is asked to show their belongings if there is a complaint.”
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What we do is seek a balance. For those who allow themselves to be helped and want to go to a center, the City has all the elements to do so. To those who discover an element that justifies being prosecuted, we do so; and whoever relieves himself in the street and bothers people is invited to leave, because we are giving him the possibility of containing him. If he doesn’t want to do it (be assisted), we can’t do more,” said Wolff.
“I feel sorry for you too; The City is deeply concerned, which is why we have 3,700 people in inclusion centers. But as Minister of Security, if someone calls 911 for a person who is relieving themselves or has a tip or a facaI’m going to go get it out”he declared.
