Gov't ratifies decree, assures 'applying it correctly will benefit officers'

A week since the protests involving Gendarmerie and Coast Guard officials begun, the Government ratified the implementation of the 1307 decree, which dramatically slashed their salaries, but clarified that by “applying it correctly will benefit most of the officials.”

In a press conference, Cabinet Chief Juan Manuel Abal Medina and Economy Minister Hernán Lorenzino stressed that “by correctly applying the decree most of the officials will see their situation improve.” They did not mention, however, the protesters demands asking for a basic salary of $7,000.

“We guarantee that when we decide to apply the decree they will all get their salaries without any cuts,” the ministers said.

Abal Medina announced that the Government would “press charges” after discovering what they called a “an industry of trials” revolving around the salaries of Gendarmerie and Coast Guard officials and involving judges, lawyers and high-ranking officials from both forces.

“We pressed charges against retired and active personnel that are somehow involved in this,” Lorenzino said.