While the fires in El Bolsón, as well as in several points in Patagonia, continue to be active, the Police arrested three people on Wednesday. The intentionality of the fires had already been confirmed and the authorities proceeded with the investigation.
After identifying and arresting three people in Río Negro, disturbances erupted in front of the police station. A group of people approached to demand the release of the detainees, leading to a confrontation with neighbors and law enforcement.
Fires in El Bolsón: who are the detainees
The governor of the province of Río Negro, Alberto Weretilneck, confirmed the arrests through his X account.
“The first arrest took place at 10:30 in the Warthon area, when neighbors noticed a man wandering suspiciously and detained him until he was placed at the disposal of Justice,” he wrote.
Detainees in El Bolsón.
The governor also shared images of the arrest. During the police search, items of interest to the case were found, constituting evidence of the crime.
“Among their belongings, a bottle with suspicious liquid was found, which will be analyzed to determine if it is an accelerant,” the governor reported.
Regarding the other suspects, Weretilneck detailed: “later, in another operation, two more people were detained for investigation, also remaining at the Public Prosecutor’s Office’s disposal.”
In that regard, he indicated that the investigation is ongoing to establish if they have any connection to the fires that “have devastated the area.” Additionally, he stated that “new arrests are not ruled out“.
El Bolsón: disturbances in front of the police station
Those detained for the fires.
Following the arrest of the three suspects believed to have started fires in the area, a confrontation broke out among neighbors outside the 12th Police Station in El Bolsón.
A demonstration occurred that ended in chases and assaults by people on horseback, while a group of individuals demanded the release of the detainees. According to their statements, they considered them volunteers who were assisting in extinguishing the fire.
“The Police and the State’s accomplices are repressing volunteers and civilians who are helping to put out the fire. There are more and more people in the protest, and the Police are not protecting us,” a woman told the LM Cipolleti media outlet.
Damage from the fires
Suspicious elements found.
With the spread of the fires, Patagonia is going through one of the most critical moments of the last decades. Three major fires are affecting various regions: El Bolsón, in Río Negro; Epuyén, in Chubut; and Valle Magdalena, in Lanín National Park, in Neuquén.
Although measuring the environmental impact is a complex task, there are already some estimates about how long the natural recovery could take.
Recently, a young environmentalist predicted that the restoration of these ecosystems could take over 200 years. This is how Luis Martínez, an activist from Corrientes, expressed it when asked.
Have you already checked out our YouTube channel? Subscribe now!
