Six PST Members Detained on the Day of Legislative Election in Argentina

Six members of the Socialist Workers' Party, PTS, were detained at their party office in Buenos Aires on the day of the legislative election.

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Nicolas del Cano and Myriam Bregman, referents of the Socialist Workers' Party, PTS,  said in a statement, that six policemen entered the party premises in Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires illegally in the morning and arrested six people.  

"Men grabbed our partners, threw them on the floor and handcuffed them, and then took them to patrol cars, illegally depriving them of liberty," they said in a joint statement.  

The polling has been peaceful for the most part, this considering that the body of activist Santiago Maldonado, who was taken during the August 1 protest in Mapuche territory was found in the Chubut River earlier this week.

"Today is not just an election as we are voting in the middle of one in which has appeared the body of Santiago, with an impunity that overwhelms us. Now his family has just recognized his body, so it is a journey that we all go through with pain. Also with the firm commitment to fight as we always did for truth and justice," Bregman said in a statement.

According to the statement the police entered the building without an arrest warrant and said that since 'the premises were open' on the day of elections, they could enter. Cano and Bregman said it "is absolutely logical for the tasks of monitoring of the election" to keep the premises open.

Gustavo Vicini, who is a leading candidate for senator of the Left Front in the Fifth Section and Libertad Martínez, candidate for councilor of Mar del Plata were two of the candidates detained alongside others.  

"We demand the immediate release of all detainees. We hold governor Maria Eugenia Vidal responsible for this outrageous attack since she is the maximum authority over the security forces that are committing these acts and illegally depriving our comrades of freedom. We call on all political forces involved in these elections to repudiate these grave events and demand the immediate freedom of the arrested militants," they further added.

Argentines voted for 127 deputies and 24 senators who will serve in their respective positions for a period of four years. Around 14,000 schools were converted to polling booths for the day. The polling is expected to close at 6 p.m. (GMT-3).