Patricia Bullrich and Jorge Macri signed an agreement that transfers powers from the Federal Penitentiary Service to the City

Macri published a photo of the moment on his social networks, along with Bullrich: ”Today we signed (…) the agreement to begin the transfer of control of the prison system for non-federal crimes. This implies that those who commit crimes in our jurisdiction will be in the custody of specialized prison personnel and will be the responsibility of the City.. Thus, we guarantee compliance with sentences and free our police officers so that they can concentrate on taking care of the streets. More autonomy is also more security,” he wrote.

At the time of the signing he was accompanied by the Ministers of Justice, Gabino Tapiaand Security, Waldo Wolffand the Deputy Chief of Staff of the City, Gabriel Sánchez Zinny. Besides, Julian Curithe Undersecretary of Penitentiary Affairs, and Fernando Martínez, Director of the Federal Penitentiary Service.

There, he also declared: ”This is good news that will allow us to eventually solve the problem we have today with the detainees. It is one more step in the right direction with the will of both parties to work together”.

For her part, the Minister of Security expressed: ”As the President of the Nation requested, everything that can be done at the subnational level and that corresponds to the provinces, or in this case, to the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, they must do it. This is a debt we had because the Police had passed and the prisoners who are a product of the work of the Police and Justice of the City of Buenos Aires had not passed. This is a step for the autonomy of the City and for the ordering between the responsibilities of the Federal State and the local states.”

The statement from the City Government

Through a statement, the City explained the details of what was signed: ”The understanding will allow detainees who committed crimes in the City to be guarded by specialized prison personnel. “This is one more step in the consolidation of Buenos Aires autonomy and the fight against insecurity.”

Additionally, they added the creation of a ”interdisciplinary work table which is committed to analyzing the budgetary resources necessary for the transfer to be progressive and orderly,” and they highlighted: ”The minutes does not suspend the processes of creation and operation of the City Penitentiary System”.

”The transfer contemplates that the City takes charge of those convicted and the custody of detainees on a precautionary basis for non-federal crimes that have nothing to do with terrorism, drug trafficking and human trafficking, among others. In all cases, they are criminals judged by the National Criminal and Correctional Justice, and by the Criminal, Misdemeanor and Misdemeanor Justice of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires,” they continued.

Finally, they described: ”In this way the City deepens its commitment to enforcing the sentences of criminals and improving the security of the people of Buenos Aires, and continues to take care of the prisoners with penitentiary personnel, which until today is done by the police. The agreement, in addition, must be ratified by the City Legislature in the terms of article 80 of the Magna Carta of Buenos Aires.