translated from Spanish: 22M – The atmosphere returned to the streets

Within the framework of World Water Day and in the face of the socio-environmental degradation that continues to be accentuated in Argentina, all civil society organizations, groups and groups working daily for the care and defense of the environment convened all sectors of society to join the Plurinational Water March, held yesterday Monday, March 22. At CABA, the rally took place at the National Congress at 4:00 a.m. There, from 16.30, the Union of EarthWorkers (UTT) carried out a “vegetable”, which consisted of the delivery of fruits and vegetables of its own agroecological production. Subsequently, at 5:00 a.m., a mass sit-in was held outside the doors of the Nation’s Congress by local socio-environmental organizations.

Finally, at 18 hours he left from Av. Callao, passing through Av. Corrientes and Diagonal Norte, until reaching Plaza de Mayo. At the close of the day, an instance was given for reading the speech of different speakers, artists and live music, among others. Taking into account the current moment of Argentina and the world, among the main points to be highlighted, the different sectors call for the sanction of laws that ensure the management of recyclable waste with social inclusion, access to land and drinking water for all and all the inhabitants of the country; in addition to a wetland law and the national environmental education law. They also demand that the figure of criminal offence be given to the terroicide and measures are taken to ensure free access to the coasts, lakes and rivers, a matter related to the claim for the sale of the land of Costa Salguero and Punta Carrasco.

Finally, considering the socio-environmental impacts of today’s extractive and uneven development model, the advancement of megaminy, fracking, installation of industrial mega-grenades, among others, is again rejected, and urgent action is required to prevent fires that ravage hundreds of thousands of hectares annually. It also requires compliance with the precautionary principle of environmental protection and Law 27566 – Escazu Agreement – which guarantees access to information, public participation and access to justice in environmental matters.” Once again, socio-environmentalism returns to the streets to try to give voice to rivers, forests, soil, air, drinking water, threatened species, and people suffering from inequality in their own flesh, which we will increasingly be more and more according to all forecasts linked to the climate and ecological crisis. By 2020, more than one million hectares were burned in Argentina, equivalent to the area of 50 cities in Buenos Aires (and by 2021 it would not be falling behind). There are many promises, but the protection of the environment in the National Budget remains just as low. What is the country project? Where are we going?” said Maximo Mazzocco, founder of Eco House Global, one of the convening organizations.

As in previous mobilizations, all participating spaces and self-convened persons were invited to be part of this event peacefully, with special emphasis on respecting the preventive measures related to Covid-19 to promote the care of all participants: social estification, use of barbijo correctly and gel alcohol.

Original source in Spanish