A little more than 4 months after the cold-blooded murder of Federico Orihuela by the San Juan Police, we take to the streets again to demand justice.
This Sunday, June 16, we went out to march through the streets of Chepes remembering Fede’s birthday, and demanding justice and jail for his murderer and accomplices. Her family called on friends, neighbors and workers to accompany the mobilization, gathering at the town’s Health Track at 3:30 p.m. A colleague traveled from the MST San Juan, who met with his colleagues from the MST La Rioja, to bring the deepest solidarity and support to the family.
Another case of trigger happy
Federico was in Valle Fértil enjoying the Safari Tras las Sierras and waiting for the call for a job transporting melons in Caucete. That same night, around 11 p.m., he was stopped by a police checkpoint, who, upon seeing that he did not have the necessary papers to travel, told him that they should go to the police station to radio the vehicle, but between discussions, comings and goings, he decides to leave the place.
Here the chase begins in which they shot him 16 times, causing fatal injuries. They found 8 bullets in Fede’s body. Officer Ricardo Rodríguez fired his service weapon with such treachery that it caused a fracture in his wrist. Without stopping, and in a phantom chase of several cell phones against a truck that could go at 70 maximum, the corrupt police of the province murdered a worker.
The officials and commissioners spoke of what happened as a “serious incident,” denying police brutality and the clear case of trigger-happy behavior. This nod to the national government shows once again the most authoritarian and cowardly methods of the police, who become submissive to the lowering of the Nation’s line and obey only to throw bullets and sticks at the workers.
A Father’s Day with a bitter taste
Federico’s family called for a mobilization in the town of Chepes for this Sunday the 16th. It had a large gathering of family members, neighbors, friends, soccer clubs, truck drivers, colleagues and workers who came to show solidarity with the family and the fight.
During the siesta, they mobilized from the Pista de Salud to the Plaza de los Pobre, passing through the municipality and the police station to denounce the complicity of the provincial justice system.
At the end of the tour, family and friends made an altar to remember Fede, while denouncing the actions of the police. They demanded justice for this obvious trigger-happy case that is a clear example of the application of the Chocobar doctrine. Meanwhile, they asked for the release of Sasha Lyardet and the other comrades unjustly detained by Bullrich’s repressive protocol in the mobilization against the Bases Law.
But the fight, far from over, continues. The commemoration of Federico serves so that his name does not stop being repeated. So that justice, the media and governments do not forget that the San Juan Police shot down a worker. The visibility actions will be replicated in the province, where we hope to mobilize with the broadest call for social movements and human rights organizations.
We continue to demand justice
The case is still open, and although Federico is a native of La Rioja, it is being dealt with in the San Juan courts. The police officer who murdered him is in preventive detention, but his accomplices are still free.
Today, the national government of Milei and Bullrich encourage repression and seek to give more power to the security forces. This makes it more necessary to continue protesting against this government’s entire plan and for justice for Federico. In San Juan and La Rioja, from the MST – FITU we accompany Fede’s family, friends and neighbors to say: Justice for Federico Orihuela! Enough trigger-happy! Complete justice and that no murderer walk freely down the street or be able to wear the uniform and weapons of impunity again. At the same time, we demand the release of Sasha and her companions arrested in a hunt when she mobilized against the Base Law. Social protest is not a crime!
In Milei’s denialist Argentina, we say that never again is never again. For those of yesterday, those of today, and so that no one is missing tomorrow because of the police.
