The violent left-wing extremist and leader of the Frente Patria Grande, Juan Grabois, was detained this Thursday afternoon during an eviction operation after illegally occupying the building of the former Instituto Nacional Juan Domingo Perón together with a group of activists and legislators.
The violent protest was organized following the decision by Javier Milei's government to close the institution, as it was considered an "unjustified budgetary burden" for all Argentinians.
The violent occupation began around 2:00 p.m., when about 50 people entered the headquarters located in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires. Among the participants were national deputies Itai Hagman and Natalia Zaracho, Buenos Aires senator Federico Fagioli, and provincial deputy Lucía Klug, all from the Frente Patria Grande group.
However, after 5:00 p.m., agents from the Argentine Federal Police (PFA), together with officers from the City Police, moved in to clear the premises, authorized by a court order to evict the building and detain the squatters.
Due to the violent resistance of the demonstrators, pepper spray, shoving, and scuffles had to be used. The operation ended with the detention of Grabois, who was handcuffed and taken away by security forces. As a result of the assaults on the police, about five officers were injured.
Juan Grabois.
The background of the conflict dates back to the announcement made on May 7 by presidential spokesperson Manuel Adorni, who confirmed the closure of the Instituto Perón and the National Commission for the Tribute to Lieutenant General Juan Perón.
The reason is that they are an unjustified budgetary burden. "The historical research on former President Perón is already being carried out through universities and other institutions that guarantee academic study free from state constraints," Adorni stated at that time.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Human Capital, headed by Sandra Pettovello, issued a statement detailing that the Institute had 20 employees and caused an annual expense exceeding 400 million pesos.
"The entirety of its budget was allocated to the payment of salaries and maintenance of basic services, with its authorities having conducted no research to fulfill the institute's purpose," they explained.
