Buenos Aires security operations in informal settlements

The Buenos Aires government, under Jorge Macri, initiated a large-scale security operation titled ‘Tormenta Negra’. This operation deployed over 1,500 police officers and control agents to 15 informal settlements and popular neighborhoods to conduct vehicle and person checks, inspect businesses, and clear public spaces. While the administration stated the goal was to ‘reinforce security and continue working on the ordering of public space,’ the move faced immediate criticism from human rights organizations, educators, and church leaders who alleged the deployment stigmatized poverty and led to arbitrary detentions.

Following the operations, the Buenos Aires City Legislature held a public hearing to address allegations of institutional violence, harassment, and discrimination. Residents and representatives from organizations such as Amnesty International and the Center for Legal and Social Studies (CELS) provided testimonies regarding physical and psychological violence. Reports indicated that more than 46 such procedures had occurred during the year.

In addition to residents of informal settlements, street vendors and migrant populations reported patterns of harassment and the seizure of goods. In response to these testimonies, legislators from the Fuerza por Buenos Aires bloc requested the interpellation of the city’s Ministers of Security and Public Space to demand explanations regarding the protocols used during the operations.