A sector of the police quartered itself in Rosario and exposed a leadership crisis for Governor Pullaro
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A sector of the Santa Fe police staged a partial barracks protest this Tuesday in the city of Rosario, after a new demonstration in front of the Headquarters of Regional Unit II. The measure resulted in at least 20 patrol cars refusing to go out to patrol the streets during the early hours of the morning, a number that by 9 in the morning had increased to about 60 vehicles.
The response from the provincial government was aggressive and immediate: withdrawal of regulation weapons and bulletproof vests, and placement on availability status of the officers involved. In parallel, the Executive ordered the transfer of police officers from other localities and requested reinforcement from federal forces.
Protesta frente a la Jefatura de la Unidad Regional II de Rosario
The trigger: a death that the government failed to prevent
The protest was reignited during the night of Monday and the early hours of Tuesday, with a new demonstration by relatives and acquaintances of police officers in front of the Rosario headquarters. There, incidents and repression with pepper spray were recorded.
The conflict has as its trigger the death of non-commissioned officer Oscar Valdez, 32 years old, originally from Vera, who died after having shot himself days earlier at the door of the police station.
"Pullaro asesino de policias" recitan los carteles en las protestas.
Valdez's case exposed a structural problem within the force: long working days, transfers of up to 500 kilometers (311 miles) to provide service in Rosario, and a 12-hour work regime.
Returning from Rosario to Vera involves traveling 501 kilometers (311 miles) and more than eight hours of travel, which consumes a large part of the rest time. Until last week, in addition, lodging and food had to be paid for by the police officers themselves.
A late bonus that did not solve the crisis and a government that neglected the police
During the weekend, the government announced a salary bonus of $500,000 for officers who work in the main cities and of $250,000 for patrol car drivers. Far from easing the situation, the measure confirmed that the Executive reacted late, when the conflict was already out of control.
The protest continued with new demonstrations by relatives and acquaintances in front of the headquarters. These ended in incidents and repression with pepper spray, deepening even further the unrest within the force.
The crisis exposed a direct responsibility of Governor Pullaro. His administration was based on a discourse of order and security; however, it neglected the human and working conditions of those who must guarantee it.
Cada vez más policias amotinados frente a la jefatura
Meanwhile, the provincial Executive was displaying statistics of declining crime, the internal situation of the police was deteriorating: uprooting, exhaustion, lack of support, and a silent drama that is now coming to light.
According to data from the Rosario Prosecutor's Office, 17 officers committed suicide in 2025, more than one per month. The figure is even more serious if one takes into account that there were no police casualties from confrontations with organized crime: the greatest risk for officers today lies within the institution itself, as a result of failed political leadership.
The government avoids self-criticism
The provincial Minister of Security, Pablo Coccocioni, acknowledged the conflict but sought to divert the focus of the discussion by denouncing alleged destabilizing maneuvers. "Groups with violent and unlawful actions kept joining in, spreading fake news and seeking to destabilize the security of the province", stated the official.
Ministro de Seguridad provincial, Pablo Coccocioni
The partial barracks protest, the need to resort to federal forces, and the internal collapse of the police lead to a forceful conclusion: Santa Fe's security policy entered into crisis under Maximiliano Pullaro's leadership.
This is the result of concrete political decisions, of a model that demanded results without taking care of those who had to guarantee order. The responsibility is direct, personal, and political. The cost, today, is being paid by the entire province.
