Multiple wildfires remained ablaze at press time in Córdoba Province, as volunteer firefighters sought to contain the spread of incendiary outbreaks across the region.
At least 70,000 hectares had been burned through, according to a report by Argentina’s CONAE Space Commission.
Roberto Schreiner, Córdoba's spokesperson for the Risk Management Secretariat, indicated that risks remained as wind could once again pick up, reigniting hot spots.
Eleven people have been arrested according to Córdoba's Security Minister Juan Pablo Quinteros.
In an interview with local radio outlet Cadena3, Quinteros noted that three of those had already been found guilty with intentionally starting fires back in July and sentenced to three years in prison.
Four fresh suspects had been arrested for the most recent bout of wildfires, including two aged 19 and 31.
“The message is clear,” Quinteros said, “whoever starts a fire will have to face justice, and whoever intentionally starts a fire will end up behind bars.”
Milei travels to region
President Javier Milei went straight to Córdoba upon his return from overseas travel. The head of state had been in New York, where he attended the United Nations General Assembly, delivering a fiercely critical address.
Upon his arrival in Buenos Aires, Milei went straight to central Argentina. After meeting Córdoba Governor Martín Llaryora, the President, his sister and presidential chief-of-staff Karina Milei, Cabinet Chief Guillermo Francos and Security Minister Patricia Bullrich flew over the damaged area in a chopper.
The president, as is becoming custom on internal trips, was dressed in military fatigues.
While the security forces had apprehended a few apparent perpetrators of the wildfires without political affiliations, it did not stop the president from going on social media to post a message alleging that Kirchnerite militants were behind the damage.
The President reposted a tweet from a relatively unknown account on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) claiming 17 members of La Cámpora political organisation had been detained.
The information was quickly rejected by the local government, with sources close to governor Llaryora telling the Noticias Argentinas news agency that the information was inaccurate.
“The President must have reposted that from an account with unchecked information,” sources told NA, a practice that is not uncommon for Milei.
– TIMES/NA
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