26/06/2026 21:10 - Politica
The morning of Friday, June 26, 2026 began with high tension in La Plata, the capital of Buenos Aires Province and one of Argentina's most important cities. A protest by cooperative workers in front of the Municipal Palace (Palacio Municipal) turned violent, resulting in a fire at the building's entrance and shattered windows. Police detained 19 people, and five officers sustained minor injuries.
Before 10:00 AM, protesters gathered at Plaza Moreno (the main square in front of City Hall) and blocked Street 12 between Streets 51 and 53. While the protest began peacefully, a group attempted to force their way into the municipal building.
The conflict originated from a decision by the local government, led by Mayor Julio Alak, to change the contracting system for urban maintenance services (ditch cleaning, grass cutting, and street sweeping).
The municipality announced a public bidding process instead of the direct contracts with cooperatives that had been in place since 2011.
In Argentina, worker cooperatives are associations where workers collectively manage their labor. Many provide public services like cleaning and maintenance. These organizations have been a way to create employment for vulnerable populations.
A competitive process where companies or organizations submit proposals to win government contracts. It's designed to ensure transparency and fair competition, but can exclude smaller groups that lack resources to participate.
The current Mayor of La Plata, a prominent political figure in Argentina. Previously served as Minister of Justice and Human Rights (2019-2022) under President Alberto Fernández.
Organizations involved include the Frente de Organizaciones en Lucha, the Movimiento de Trabajadores Excluidos (MTE), and the Frente Popular Darío Santillán. They reject the bidding process, arguing it would leave hundreds of cooperative workers unemployed.
Official sources indicated that workers had been offered compensation through social cards worth $200,000 pesos, but protesters stated that officials refused to meet with them on Friday. The deadline to purchase bidding documents expired at 1:30 PM on the same day as the protest.
The Municipality filed a criminal complaint for damages, injuries, and assault on authority. In an official statement, they claimed that the political organization leading the protest sought to maintain direct contracting that, if continued, would have resulted in sanctions and criminal liability for officials for violating the law.
The Tribunal de Cuentas (Provincial Audit Court) had ordered the municipality to cease direct contracting, as it did not comply with the Municipalities Organic Law, which requires public bidding to ensure transparency in the use of public funds.
Source: News reports from local media covering the June 26, 2026 events in La Plata, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
