NEARLY 100 people have been arrested on looting charges in Argentina over recent days, raising fears that violence could escalate as October’s presidential election approaches.

The arrests have unleashed a highly partisan exchange of blame for the spate of incidents between the president’s office and far-right candidate Javier Milei, who gained the most votes in the August 13 presidential primary.

Buenos Aires provincial authorities said on Wednesday that 94 people had been detained in connection with more than 150 looting attempts since Monday, following days of isolated incidents of looting over the weekend.