A new provocation by deputy Gustavo Orozco, a surprise resignation by the Minister of Security and Justice of Salta Abel Cornejo and a retreat with strong support from Governor Gustavo Sáenz: these three points can summarize the issue that has dominated the political and social agenda of the last hours in Salta.
Abel Cornejo reported yesterday morning, during the swearing-in of Police cadets, that he had submitted his resignation to the governor. In a matter of minutes, the news covered the main titles of the media in the province.
After the act, and in dialogue with the media, the minister questioned the lack of support from the ruling party in the Legislature in the face of strong statements once morest him made on Tuesday night by the provincial deputy for Rosario de la Frontera Gustavo Orozco, who had already he had crossed paths with Cornejo at the beginning of April in the Chamber.
In the last session of Deputies, Orozco accused Cornejo of “having serious complaints” and assured that one is for “abuse” of a woman. He launched these statements before his peers without giving any kind of proof or offering further arguments.
Cornejo assured yesterday that the attack was “the icing on the cake”, following several delicate situations that he had to go through in his portfolio in recent weeks. The minister regretted that pro-government legislators have not come out to support him following Orozco’s statements.
“Silence sometimes makes noise. When that is said, I think there has to be an accompaniment to me and to any minister. The culture of insult is totally undemocratic. In my life I insulted no one. I believe in the possibility of dissent with respect. The foundation of the Republican culture is being able to have respect,” he said.
Cornejo also indicated that he might not accept what had happened and that he had decided to leave his post. “I have had a lifelong commitment in the fight once morest drug trafficking, human trafficking, sexual abuse and gender violence. They are not poses. It is reflected in different stages of my life and I even received threats for those things. I do not accept that I am defamed and repudiated, in the face of a silence that I consider ominous. So, faced with that situation, I think I had to step aside. It seems to me that, if there are sectors that call themselves pro-government but do not support the policies being carried out by the governor of the Province, we must leave those places and let someone else come. I am clear that institutions are above people. I am not someone who seeks to remain in office forever, much less, ”he said, following taking the oath that was made at the Güemes monument.
Hours later, the position of Governor Gustavo Sáenz became known. He was concerned and came out to support Abel Cornejo. “He has full support as a minister, from me and from my entire cabinet,” he said. The president added that the official must remain in office, since he has “an ambitious plan to fulfill,” referring to a security program that was recently launched and will run until 2023. Sáenz also repudiated the attacks suffered by the Minister.
After the governor’s support, it was confirmed that Abel Cornejo will remain in his position. The official has been in charge of the Security portfolio since November and in recent weeks he had to face a complex situation due to the investigation of an illegal financial institution in which several police officers are involved.
He also had a confrontation with the Attorney General of the Province, Pedro García Castiella, who questioned the decision of the Executive Power to remove a commissioner who worked in the structure of the CIF (Body of Fiscal Investigators)
Cornejo also denounced in recent days that there was an attempt to destabilize the security force. “I already pointed it out and the police chief said so at the time. It seems to us that there was indeed an attempt to dismiss the police leadership, clearly. But another issue is the financial one, they are not related to one thing with the other, ”he said more than a week ago.
Gustavo Orozco had already crossed paths with Abel Cornejo at the beginning of April, when the minister went to give a report in the Chamber of Deputies. The legislator tried to question him regarding his work at the head of the Ministry, to which the official replied that he should appear in court for the 37 criminal cases that he has open for different crimes.
