Anti-Government Protests in Buenos Aires, Several Other Argentine Cities

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – On Monday, October 12th, a holiday, sectors opposed to the national government reconvened in downtown Buenos Aires and several parts of the country to protest against the quarantine, the judicial reform, the transfer of the three judges who were investigating Cristina Kirchner, the hardening of the dollar purchase restrictions, using slogans such as “in defense of the Republic”.

This was the eighth demonstration against Alberto Fernandez’s administration during the quarantine. The preceding ones occurred on June 20th, July 9th, August 1st, 17th and 26th, and September 13th and 19th.

As in the previous rallies, the call began to spread through social media under different hashtags. The most replicated was #12OctubreTodosAlaCalle (#12OctoberAllonTheStreet), although there were also others like #12OSomosLibres (“12OWeAreFree)”) and #12OYoVoy (“12OI’mGoing).

After 5 PM, pots and pans and horns began to be heard loudly at the Obelisk in Buenos Aires. There were also rallies in the cities of La Plata, Rosario, Bariloche and Córdoba. In downtown Buenos Aires, a group of demonstrators also held a “balloon release for the Republic”.

During the week several opposition leaders also publicized the rally. “It is a cry for freedom and for the independence of the powers,” said the head of the former president Mauricio Macri’s PRO party, Patricia Bullrich, who joined the rally in her car.

For his part, legislator Fernando Iglesias published on social media: “As in all marches since 2008 and all the 2020 flag flying demonstrations, tomorrow I will be taking part in the #12OBanderazoPorLaRepublica (#12OFlagFlyingForThe Republic) with a mask and taking every precaution, the #12OctubreTodosAlaCalle in all the plazas of the country. I hope there will be many of us.”

The main gathering occurred at the Obelisk in Buenos Aires. But the call also included dozens of points in almost all the country’s provinces, such as Patio Olmos and Plaza San Martín de Jesús María in Córdoba; Plaza Moreno in La Plata; the Flag Monument in Rosario; and the intersection of Sarmiento and San Martín Avenue in Mendoza.

Opposite the Quinta de Olivos, where many people gathered in the previous marches, the government mobilized militants to show their support for President Alberto Fernández.

Demonstrators carried Argentine flags and pots and pans, as well as banners and posters with slogans such as “don’t touch the judges” and “stop the impunity”.

Alberto Fernandez remained at the Quinta de Olivos during the flag flying. The President respected the decision to protest throughout Argentina, but was critical of the organizers who posted Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner’s address on social media.

Ex-President Mauricio Macri used his Twitter to comment. “Dear Argentines: the growing peaceful mobilizations, the courage and conviction of the people who accompany them, are the demonstration that despite our current problems we must be very optimistic about our future,” he said.

Source: infobae