Global Courant
The first five months of the year in Rosario ended with 133 homicides in 151 days, 12 more than in the same period in 2022. There were 64 in 66 days until the first days of March, when the anger of the neighbors broke out after the murder of Máximo Jerez (11), innocent victim of drug traffickers, in the Los Pumitas neighborhood.
After the baby’s crime, the Nation decided to send reinforcements. On Wednesday, March 8, a contingent of 400 federal agents from the National Gendarmerie, Federal Police and Argentine Naval Prefecture disembarked in the city, who were presented by the Minister of National Security, Aníbal Fernández.
Since then, there has been a temporary truce. Until May 31, they killed 69 people in 85 days, at a rate of one every 29 hours. One of those victims was José Sixto Torrén (42), one of the four brothers of Miguel Ángel, the Argentinos Juniors footballer, who have been murdered in 13 years.
Miguel Ángel Torrén and his brother José Sixto (42), murdered in Rosario.
According to the Santa Fe Public Security Observatory (OSP), which has daily, monthly and annual homicide reports, there were 24 crimes in January, 33 in February, 22 in March, 22 in April and 32 in May.
The provincial Ministry of Security and the Public Prosecution Ministry work together on statistics.
In addition to the violent deaths, a new piece of information was added in the last month: there were more shooting attacks against schools -some of which had to suspend classes- and police stations.
The arrival of federal agents in Rosario, on March 8. Photo: JUAN JOSE GARCIA.
In fact, this Tuesday night they shot three times against the facade of the 20th police station and left a note. A man aboard a van was responsible for the attack committed in Carrasco at 5800, between the Empalme Graneros and Industrial neighborhoods.
In the midst of the wave of violence and insecurity, the Santa Fe Ministry of Security ordered on Tuesday the replacement of the chief and deputy chief of the Rosario Police, who had begun their duties last January.
Daniel Acosta and Mariano Gobi took over from Adrián Galigani and Iván González, chief and deputy chief, respectively, of the Rosario Regional Unit.
The mark of one of the shots against the Rosario 20 police station. Photo Juan Jose Garcia.
It is not the first time that Acosta has been in charge of the Rosario Police. In 2021 he held the same position, although he was removed a month and a half later by then-minister Marcelo Saín. Since December 2019, the leadership of the Rosario Regional Unit has been changed 11 times.
What does the Minister of Security say?
“The attacks on schools and police stations demonstrate the daring of the gangs and the lack of control. They want to send a message to the political and police authorities to stop doing what we should do,” reflected the Santa Fe Security Minister, Claudio Brilloni, in dialogue with Clarín.
The gendarmes in the Los Pumitas neighborhood, where they killed Máximo Jerez (11). Photo: Juan Jose Garcia
The situation in Rosario is far from what happens in the capital of the province, where 29 homicides have occurred so far this year, and from the rest of the departments of Santa Fe, which do not even reach 10 homicides. For yet another year, the crime gap between Rosario and the rest of the province is enormous.
The escalation of homicides peaked in February and fell in March, coinciding with the arrival of the Minister of National Security, Aníbal Fernández, in the Rosario city on March 8.
In the first week of March there were eight crimes and the following three the escalation went down, since there were 14 homicides in the rest of the month. Not only in March there were 22 homicides but also in April, and January exceeded the number reaching 26.
The Minister of Security of Santa Fe, Claudio Brilloni. Photo Juan Jose Garcia.
The minister brought 400 officers who reinforced the Unified Command of the Federal Forces of Rosario, thus reaching 1,400 agents at that stage to confront drug trafficking and federal crimes.
While the Ministry of National Security did not want to comment on the situation in Rosario, Brilloni maintained that “the presence of federal forces helped not only because of human resources, but also technological ones.”
“The national government provided us with terminals to combat cybercrime, tools to compare voices and fingerprints, and equipment to inspect cell phones. Thanks to them, people involved in crimes could be arrested,” said Brilloni, although he acknowledged that “this does not reduce homicides “.
Máximo Iván Jerez, the 11-year-old boy murdered in Rosario.
At this time last year there were fewer crimes than in 2023 and, in turn, 2022 registered a total of 287 homicides. The annual figure is expected to be exceeded this year.
The number of crimes in 2022 was the highest since this count began in 2014. The homicide rate in Rosario rose to 22 per 100,000 inhabitants.
“More crimes are being committed now and the level of aggressiveness is already installed in society and is exacerbated in the most marginal neighborhoods, which are affected by structural problems and the intervention we have against drug dealing,” said the minister.
According to the official, “the problems of drug dealing produce violence due to territorial disputes, business and billing.” The scenario “is made worse by their access to firearms,” he added.
Mauro Villamil was murdered in Rosario when he left his house to buy vegetables for a barbecue. He was the 104th victim so far this year.
The question is since when has this level of murders occurred at the moment. When analyzing the statistics, it is seen that, since 2020, crimes have been on the increase. That year, 214 homicides were registered, in 2021 they reported 244, and in 2022 they recorded 287.
These figures are similar to those of 2014 (254 crimes) and 2015 (234 homicides). In contrast, from 2016 to 2019 there were fewer: around 200 homicides per year.
For Brilloni, the level of audacity of the gangs to kill “comes from many years ago, although it worsens more and more.”
The minister emphasizes that “they know that the level of authority of the organizations is frosted, and this is seen when they lack speed to stop, requisition or raid them.” This links it to the need for a more rigorous judicial system.
Ariel Lisandro Leguizamón (25), “Nico”, with his family. They murdered him in Rosario.
the last victims
Gustavo Ramón Villalba Sosa (23) was the last fatality of May in Rosario, this Wednesday afternoon. In addition, due to the shooting that occurred in the Empalme Graneros neighborhood, two girls aged 15 and 25 ended up injured.
The event occurred in Cullen 1500 bis, near the 20th precinct that was shot Tuesday night. Two men – still unidentified – were on board a motorcycle, passed through Cullen at 1200 bis and shot the women.
One of the three crimes committed on the last day of May in Rosario. Photo: Juan Jose Garcia
The 25-year-old girl was injured in the right leg and the youngest, in the abdomen. After the attack, the motorcycle continued its march and, upon reaching Cullen at 1500 bis, it passed in front of Villalba Sosa’s house and they fired. The bullets impacted the skull and chest of the young man, who died.
The first homicide in June occurred this Friday and brought the total number of victims so far in 2023 to 134. Around 5:00 p.m., a man was executed in a house in a hallway in the Larrea neighborhood. In addition, another man was seriously injured in Empalme Graneros, in an apparent robbery, according to local media reports.
EMJ / AS
