Argentina: Milagro Sala Arrest Was Discrimination, Says Husband

Social movements in Argentina and supporters of Milagro Sala, an Indigenous leader, continue to protest her arrest after she was detained over the weekend for speaking out against the policies of the new government of President Mauricio Macri.

Sala's husband, Raul Noro, echoed these calls Tuesday, adding that Sala's arrest was a result of race and gender discrimination by the government of the President Macri.

The Indigenous activist, and leader of the Tupac Amaru group, was arrested Saturday in Jujuy provice after governor Gerardo Morales – who is affiliated with President Mauricio Macri's party – accused her of “incitement to commit crimes and public disturbance.”

Social movement and other supporters took the street Monday evening to protest Sala's arrest and demand her release.

The main demonstration took place in Buenos Aires' main square, the Plaza de Mayo, but they also sprouted up in cities across the country including in Mendoza, Rosario and Cordova, reported teleSUR correspondent Camila Sanchez.

Sala has announced that she would begin a dry hunger strike, not eating solids or liquids, to protest her detention, which does not show signs of coming to an end.

However, her supporters, including members of Tupac Amaru, have called on Sala to end the strike, saying they need her to be “strong and lucid” in order to fight and overcome this ordeal, reported Sanchez.

Some members of parliament have shown their support for Morales in maintaining the activist's detention, saying she was part of an organization “with mafia attitudes” using state resources to mobilize people against “a government elected by popular vote,” said Senator Luis Naidenoff.

Prior to her arrest, Sala had been participating in a sit-in, camping outside local government offices for over a month, in support of various social organizations at risk of losing their legal status and social benefits after Morales threatened to suspend them via decree.

One day before Sala's arrest, the 16 cooperatives that had participated in the sit-in were temporarily suspended, unable to participate in state housing programs and blocked from accessing their bank accounts, according to the local Pagina 12 newspaper.