Alejandro Vilca was in the program Tugo of Nico guthmann. The journalist asked him about the repression of every week in the march of retirees, in which the deputy of the Left Front received a strong discharge of tear gas.
Nico Gutman:
– I saw some photos with the product of tear gas, the entire white face, which was in the mobilization that is made every Wednesday, retirees. And that I had been telling: it has a thing that is happening, which is that happens every week. Every week there is repression, and there is a kind of naturalization of that violence. So I wanted, a little, nothing, to give it a space for us to chase the background, and what happened yesterday specifically.
Alejandro Vilca:
“Well, that’s the serious thing, right?” That it is naturalized, that it is well to suppress, hit, sorry for retirees. For me that is terrible, more when retirees are asking for something that is their right: that their work is recognized, their effort of so many years, a dignified retirement. This government, unfortunately, not only takes away the remedies – which is already negligible – but also pushes them more and more to destitution. So, I think it is valuable what retirees do every Wednesday. It has become a symbol of the resistance of this moment, which I believe that at the national level it is a point of support.
We, well, from the left front, we could not be oblivious. Remember that yesterday, in addition, it occurred within the framework of an informative session, where it was the head of ministers, Franks, to inform about the management. We were there along with our fellow deputies: Nicolás del Caño, Chipi Castillo, Vilma, who assumed and Vanina.
And well, as you know, we always accompany the fight of retirees. Then, in a period, we went out to accompany the march of the retirees in the return to Congress.
And the truth is that we are always surprised by the strong operation. What happened yesterday was something weird, because retirees achieved around Congress. The “traffic light” is made, which is when traffic lights are changed: it is cut, enabled, changes red and goes to the other street. Something peaceful, and then retirees retire.
But well, yesterday, when that movement was being done, the police advanced. With the shields, with the sticks, to hit, even pushing the retirees above the cars that were waiting to pass. Because retirees wanted to run and have cars. The police began to attack, and well, there fell several retirees and retirees. I was nearby, I helped several retirees, and that is where I receive the gas directly on the face.
Because in general, when the police throw, he does it as spraying the tear gas. Well, in this case, they threw me straight to my face, and especially on my eyes. And grateful for those who attended me. But it is serious that this happens to retirees.
“Contact me … here I have a photo of how you finished yesterday.” Can you tell me a little how they throw that gas in your face? What did you feel?
“Look, the truth is like it burns you.” And apart, as I tell you, one is not prepared for this. The truth is that he catches you. He gave me on my face, I saw only the red spot, Colorado, which came to me on my face, and there I already lost my vision. Almost struggle, I almost fell, they helped me. And there, when you get into your eyes, you start to congest.
“How is the effect?”
—Of course, because it creates an irritation throughout the face, in my case in the eyes, in the nostrils, and in the mouth. It irritates you so much that there are times that it prevents you from breathing. And that, to many, breaks them down. That is why there are many people who passed out, another who needed quickly. In my case, well, they helped me, I was able to recompose a little, then I could walk, but I couldn’t see. They immediately took me to the Congress Guard, where they attended me. There they threw me a calcareous liquid to avoid burns and irritation throughout my face, neck and eyes. And they referred to Santa Lucía Hospital, where I appreciate the urgent attention of the workers, the truth, very good.
“And the lenses, did you put them on because you are still very sensitive?”
“Yes, yes.” They gave me about 24 hours of observation, medications, drops, gel, pain pills. But I’m better. They asked me not to expose me a lot to the sun or strong lights, so I put on my lenses to avoid that.
But well, beyond all this, I know I’m going to recover. Imagine, I am young. But an older person, which happens to him every Wednesday … is serious. And I don’t want to naturalize it, because this is already brutal. Patricia Bullrich is a terrible brutality. We already saw it in all the mobilizations that were in front of Congress.
To us, a partner who was an advisor, Matías Fieri, a lawyer, who was in the square, also the police shot him with rubber bullets in his face and lost an eye. The case of Pablo Grillo and so many other journalists, workers, retirees who are going to support. I saw the same situation. But I think it is the brutality of a minister who thinks, or a government, who believes that the adjustment will only happen with repression and scarce.
I think they are wrong there. Because this, beyond creating fear or fear, does not know what our retirees are, our workers, who are really brave, and will not give away or their rights. And less if it is on the left, about me. This does not frighten us, but gives us more strength. And it is a pride to be with retirees.
I hope to recover soon to return to the streets, to be side by side with retirees and workers. But the truth is brutal. Brutal for the operation, but also brutal what happened within the Congress.
Many expressions that later told me, and I could see, of some deputies that the truth that half celebrated him. Libertarian deputies who celebrated repression. And yes, because that contempt sprouted to life, xenophobic, racist hate.
– What was the publication of Lemoine? Sorry, I didn’t see her.
“No, he said something like:” Did they repress Vilca again? How bad the police! They should have done it with soap and water. ” As if saying … well. Of people like this …
– The concept quite clear, right? Let’s see, you have a very valuable story. You are a laborer. And apart, let’s say, I would say … If you look at the entire congress, you see all faces that are not from people of your contexture. And I find a pride that that happens in Congress. Now, I suppose it is fine to ask you in this context because it weighs on your body. Do you feel that discrimination from your colleagues from the Chamber of Deputies? Of the media in general?
“Look, many expressions have been repeated.” I do not tell you only of freedom progress, but of other blocks. Well, Pichetto has accustomed us. I have always had to stop the car, answer him, because we cannot bear this xenophobia, this racism, the hatred that these people have. He expresses it publicly, like these publications. It is not the first time that I also answer Lemoine. It is also a policy.
This, you will have noticed, you see it in the UN Assembly, where they did not even support the minimum rights of the original peoples. Here, against the Mapuche people, they claim the “desert campaign.” Well, these people not only do not respect the rights of retirees, the right to study, to a home, but also respect the rights of the original peoples.
Then I, as a worker of waste collection, such as the north, interior, brown, coya, I feel proud to be and lift my people’s fight, but also of the oppressed sectors.
Today we have a very big game: face a government that wants Argentina to be one more colony of the Yankees, by Donald Trump, and deliver all our resources to the IMF, to the big corporations. That is the other leg of this racist policy: go against our territories, our resources, and deliver them. That is why you have to face it, you have to organize.
I believe that the left, and also everything that told you – obey, brown, tail, and apart from the left – either frightens me. Because many times they say: “We are going to end the vestiges of the left.” Well, here we are. We give debate within the Congress, we denounce all the scams they make, the negotiated, the purchase and sale. But we are also outside, next to the working people.
And I think that hurts. Because, ultimately, when they talk about the left or popular claims, it is because they are afraid of the power of the working class that stands up and demonstrates their strength. As he did in different marches: the university, that of diversity, the last unemployment. What they are afraid is of this: that the working people stand up and say “enough” to this adjustment plan of Milei and the IMF.
“Alejandro, thanks for chatting with us for a while.” What better, that you are well.
“Tell him, I thank you for a lot.” And well, thank all the work that helped me yesterday. And send a strong greeting to all retirees, who will barely recover again, will be there again. So force everyone. Big hug.
Source: www.laizquierdadiario.com
