Argentina arrests dozens in looting attempts amid fear of growing violence ahead of October election

By VICTOR R. CAIVANO and DANIEL POLITI
Associated Press

LOMA HERMOSA; Argentina (AP) — Argentine authorities have reported a large number of arrests for lootings and attempted lootings in recent days, raising concerns about violence ahead of October presidential elections and prompting the president to appeal for calm. The arrests have prompted some business owners to prepare for the possibility that their stores could get ransacked. They also unleashed a highly partisan exchange of blame for the crimes between the president’s office and the right-wing populist candidate Javier Milei. Buenos Aires provincial authorities said Wednesday that 94 people had been detained in what were more than 150 looting attempts since Monday following days of isolated incidents of lootings in other provinces.