A wave of looting and attacks on supermarkets is currently taking place in Argentina. A series of crimes have been reported in the cities of Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Neuquén and Córdoba.

To date, 56 people have been arrested in the capital. The surge in criminal activity began last weekend.

During the early hours of Wednesday, looting incidents were also reported in La Plata, and there are rumors that more looting may occur tonight in Bahía Blanca, according to the news channel “TN”.

Argentina’s presidential spokeswoman, Gabriela Cerruti, said these episodes were instigated by supporters of right-wing candidate Javier Milei of the La Libertad Avanza coalition.

Milei is one of the favorites in the presidential race after leading in the primary elections on August 13.

Milei denied the allegations. He said:

“Although the situation is delicate, it’s not an endorsement of violence. If we understand that a different Argentina is impossible with the same old same old, a large part of the solution is close,” he said on the social network X/Twitter.

On the morning of this Wednesday, 23, the leader of the leftist group “Independent Movement of Retired and Unemployed People,” Raúl Castells, declared that the group was responsible for what is happening in the streets of Argentina.

Castells stated:

“It’s us who are calling for this, and we’re saying that without stealing money or breaking anything, take whatever you can.”

Leftist Raúl Castells further justified the encouragement of these actions by pointing to high food prices in Argentina.

Argentina is in the midst of a campaign ahead of general elections in October, while the country struggles with a 40 percent poverty rate and consumer inflation of 113.4%.