AP (with additional material by BBC). 1 January 2002. Rival Protesters Clash Outside Argentina's Congress as Lawmakers Struggle to Pick a New President.
BUENOS AIRES -- As Argentina's parliament meets in emergency session to name a new president, demonstrators have been fighting running battles in the streets of the capital. The violence broke out between supporters of Mr Duhalde's Peronist party and the opposition United Left, Argentine radio said. Police used rubber bullets and tear gas to bring the stone-throwing rioters under control. Hundreds of rival protesters threw stones and bottles at each other outside Congress on Tuesday. The supporters of rival parties clashed briefly before riot police firing tear gas separated them, while differences between legislators delayed an emergency session of Congress supposed to pick a new president. There were no immediate reports of injuries in the unrest. But tensions were high, and hundreds of police fanned out around Congress and the Plaza de Mayo, a major city square, fearing a return of widespread street violence that has shaken this capital in recent weeks. The abrupt resignation of interim President Adolfo Rodriguez Saa on Sunday left the country without any clear leadership and, even worse, without a concise economic plan to pull Argentina - long Latin America's most prosperous country - back from virtual bankruptcy after four years of deep recession. Emerging as the likely candidate to fill the post is Sen. Eduardo Duhalde, a Peronist Party political boss and fierce critic of the free-market policies undertaken by the government over the past 10 years. While Duhalde appeared to have the backing of many in his party, political infighting has gripped the Peronist party, which controls both houses of Congress and is now the country's leading political force. One faction appeared to favor calling general elections to elect a new president in March, while another wants to appoint a leader to serve out the remainder of de la Rua's term through 2003. "Argentines must be allowed to elect a new president," said Jose Manuel de la Sota, an influential Peronist governor. "It's the only way we can move forward to lift this country out of this disaster." Worried about the political and economic upheaval, Gov. Carlos Ruckhauf, who controls Buenos Aires province, appealed for "a government of national salvation" made up members of all the political parties. Duhalde is a two-time governor of Argentina's powerful Buenos Aires province, and two years ago he was resoundingly beaten by de la Rua in a bid for the presidency. His stint as governor was marred by heavy spending that racked up high debts for Buenos Aires. Charges of corruption against figures in his government also surfaced, though he was not touched personally. Some Argentines seemed to worry about a possible Duhalde administration. "He's the kind of politician the people have been saying they no longer want leading this country," said Jorge Ocampo, a 38-year-old electrician. "The problem is that there aren't any alternatives; our political leaders are all either scarred by charges of corruption or seen as part of the system." Whoever is appointed will face down an economy that has ground to a halt. Thousands of police had their leave cancelled ahead of the vote and extra guards were drafted in to protect the government palace and congress buildings, the scenes of violent demonstrations at the weekend. Some 45,000 police were on standby in and around the capital, with soldiers also helping guard the nearby government palace known as the Casa Rosada. It is the worst crisis since the interruption of democracy by a 1976-83 dictatorship. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Barry Stoller http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ProletarianNews
