Last Thursday night, the fervour of a section of Argentine society could be felt and heard in every corner of the country. Thousands of light blue and white flags fluttered in the skies of the main cities, creating the impression of a civic holiday, though it was the claim of more than a million indignant citizens.

The streets, crowded with people chanting against ten years of rule by president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and her late husband and former president Néstor Kirchner, were swamped with demands and allegations that resonated in the handmade banners and loud sounds of pot banging.

“I’m tired of corruption. I’m tired of not being able to to go outside without being afraid. I’m tired of public officials getting richer at the expense of our people. I’m here to defend democracy”, said a 65-year-old housewife.

Their grievances included alleged corruption, violent crime, inflation, and poverty -concerns which have seen the president’s approval rating plummet almost two years after she easily won her bid for re-election (according to several consulting agencies, in the last half of 2012 her positive image had already fallen by 45%). After all, it was Argentina’s largest anti-government demonstration in years and the third mass protest against the president in seven months.

One of the demonstrators’ main concerns was about a new judicial reform which, among other things, states that all members of the Magistrates’ Council, a body that oversees the selection and running of the judiciary, ought to be elected by the citizens. While supporters say the law will lead to a democratisation of the justice system, critics say it will dangerously politicise the judiciary ensuring impunity to members of the ruling party.

It is hard for a group of people to come together behind a single banner. The claims were numerous and diverse, and some of them resonate with the government’s electoral base. Most of the participants of this protest were not voters of Kirchnerism, however some of their grievances, such as inflation and insecurity, are also claims made by voters of the current government.

Scenes like these are bound to raise concerns for the president and her supporters, and the reason is the transversal nature of the complaints.

Last Thursday there were neighbours from affluent suburbs, rural workers from the countryside, leaders and members of the Independent Movement of Pensioners and Unemployed (MIJD), the Socialist Workers’ Movement (MST), young people in school uniforms, retirees in wheelchairs and walking sticks, and diverse groups of people from all around the country, united by their rejection of the government. These were the indignant social players of the so-called ’18A’, strongly proud of not being part of the 54% who voted for president Fernández in 2011, demanding to be heard.

No one can fail to admit the impact of the ‘cacerolazo‘, especially in districts historically controlled by president Fernández’s party, such as the Greater Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Salta, Tucuman, and Neuquén. In previous demonstrations, on 13th September and 8th November 2012, government supporters had dismissed the protest by pointing out that protesters belonged to the middle-upper classes and that the demonstrations were orchestrated by wealthy elites. There was also speculation that some media groups were responsible for stoking fears and encouraging the protest. As the judicial reform has been a hot topic in the news agenda, some media groups aligned with the opposition directly linked this issue with the 18A protest, which gave the event massive coverage and placed it on the spotlight.

This time, the main government officials refrained from comment. They feel this message is not addressed to them.

The feature that differentiated the third cacerolazo against the government from the previous ones was the visible presence of opposition political leaders. On 13th September, when the pots were heard against the government for the first time, opposition politicians were conspicuous by their absence. Two months later, on 8th November, only some were audacious enough to attend. Last Thursday, however, the key figures of the opposition took to the streets and heard the people’s demands. After all, many of them admitted to having articulated the protests.

“The right of the majorities is not absolute nor can it be fulfilled at any cost. The president must govern for all citizens. We also want justice, we also want security, we also want a better quality of life,” explained Mauro, a 33-year-old engineer.

A crucial test of the government’s popularity will come later this year in the mid-term legislative elections, in which the government will try to keep its majority in both chambers. For the time being, the government pushes ahead with major bills.

The Responsibility of the Opposition

In the two previous cacerolazos, it came to light that certain opposition groups had provided support to the organisation of the protests, though with a low profile and no party identification.

Marked by the predominant influx of people not aligned with any political party, the novelty of ’18A’ was the strong and explicit role of political leaders of most of the opposition parties.

The demands of unity between the opposition candidates for an alternative option ahead of the elections were also part of the people’s claims at the demonstration. One of the organisers argued that the opposition parties should unite to form at least two electoral fronts, a right-leaning and a left-leaning one, to avoid fragmentation and confront the ruling party in the legislative elections next 27th October.

Some opposition sectors are beginning to come together to replicate the model of the opposition in Venezuela, based on an alliance of all left and right-wing parties to confront the ruling party in the polls. The aim of this alliance, the Mesa de Unidad Democrática (MUD), is to carry out primary elections, run together, and support the candidate who obtains the highest number of votes. But here in Argentina, not all believe in unity. Some socialist groups differ with right-wing parties in the way they analyse a possible new victory of Kirchnerism -they just do no think the risk is that high.

The wide gap between the various opposition forces has been very difficult to bridge so far and it might take too long before an alliance like the MUD in Venezuela can arise and develop a cohesive discourse.

It becomes evident that from now on the calls to these anti-government manifestations will be more orchestrated by these groups, and less ‘non-partisan’. This may affect future gatherings, given the explicitly ‘non-partisan’ stance of the protesters.

“No political party represents me so far, I don’t identify with any of the existing political platforms. I hope the opposition can come up with something new for the next elections. I still wanted to come and express my disappointment with this government,” said Susana, a 37-year-old shop-keeper.

On the ruins of the bipartisan system that ruled Argentina between 1983 and 2001, the government developed a hegemony that is based more on the lack of an alternative than on the trust of the popular vote. In recent years we have seen how opposition parties have been weakening because of their inaction against the power of Kirchnerism. The street protest reflects the other side of their supremacy in the arena of partisan politics. It expresses an ongoing discomfort at an opposition without organisation or discourse, and a ruling party that does not recognise the needs and predicaments of great part of society.

The political dispersion of the minority was evidenced in the 2011 election and resonates today in the form of a widespread dissatisfaction with the current political actors. Responsibility for this dissatisfaction falls on the intellectuals and politicians who are not articulating people’s demands into concrete, democratic, and autonomous actions.

The open cacerolazos are an enigma in terms of their ultimate implications in the polls. The challenge for the opposition is to be able to translate the slogans seen in these protests into a parliamentary victory and later on, an electoral victory. Whether they achieve this will depend on the strength of their unity and their ability to evolve into a new political project able to represent this part of Argentine society.

A lot has been said about democracy over the past few days. The protesters denounce president Fernández for exceeding the limits of democracy towards a greater accumulation of power, while her allies state that the ’18A’ is the glaring realisation that there is full democracy in Argentina.

It is important to bear in mind that democracy in Argentina, as well as in most Latin American countries, is often expressed through strong personal leaderships. The strong presidential system in Argentina does nothing to alleviate the problem of a lack of representation in Congress. Without a strong opposition to ensure a fair political game, the government’s concentration of power will continue growing, to the point of jeopardising democratic consolidation.

Following a debate lasting nearly eight hours, the Senate and its Kirchnerist majority gave preliminary approval for two parts of President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner’s plan for judicial reform via “democratisation”. The plan for changes to be made to the judicial council were approved by a vote of 39 to 31, and the initiative to create three new courts of appeal was approved by a vote of 39 to 26. The projects took nine days to be approved.

The projects will now be reviewed by the Chamber of Deputees.

“Here we are not building any sort of epic,” Senator Miguel Pichetto said. “Neither are we having a revolution. Nor is the Republic going to fall because of these laws…. This project is a way of giving the Council a chance to breathe. It signifies a force for the organisation to be effective, not bound, and to function and be open to society.”

Under the plan, the number of members in the Council would increase from 13 to 19, 12 of whom would be chosen by popular vote. Six would be national legislators chosen by parliament and one would be appointed by the executive branch.

Opponents of the measure have criticised President Fernández’s reforms as an attempt to control the nation’s judicial power.

Today, the Senate will debate the third component of Preident Fernández’s plan, which would regulate precautionary measures in the judicial branch.

The Civil and Commercial Appeals Court in Buenos Aires has ordered that Articles 41, 45, 48, and 161 of the controversial new Media Law are unconstitutional. A long decision was issued today by the judges Susana Najurieta, Francisco De las Carreras, and Ricardo Guarignoni and the details of their decision are still to be announced.

The ruling is the latest in the case brought by Grupo Clarín, the largest media conglomerate in Argentina and – according to some sources – South America.

The saga began in 2009 when the new Audiovisual Communication Services Law 26.522, known more simply as the ‘Media Law’, was passed in both houses in October 2009. Grupo Clarín, and other mass media enterprises, immediately raised the question of constitutionality of some of the articles, leading to various rulings in the case.

In December 2012, judge Horacio Alfonso stated the law to be valid and rejected Clarín’s objections, but Clarín quickly won an extension on the injunction of the law.

And so the saga continues on its way to the Supreme Court. It has already intervened in this case before but will now only rule on the validity or constitutionality of these four articles. A sentence is expected by the end of the year.

Argentine president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner announced almost $12 million in subsidies for small and medium-sized producers in Tucumán during a videoconference with Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Fishing Norberto Yauhar and Tucumán Governor José Alperovich. The act took place at the headquarters of the Cooperative of Herrera Campo, located in the Famaillá.

Yauhar emphasised the role of small and medium-sizes producers, stating that they are “fundamental for creating a country which everyone longs for.” At the same time he added: “We are demanding a more inclusive nation, a different Argentina with more room for producers and an equal opportunity for all.” The subsidies will make it easier for farmers who grow sugar canes, as well as support wineries in Amaicha area and improve the access and quality of drinking water.

“This is part of the agricultural policy that the national government has promoted to improve the development of small-scale producers through concrete tools that cause their productivity to grow. And for this, it is essential to work together,” said the agricultural minister.

Tucumán Governor Alperovich was full of praise saying that “thanks to minister Yauhar the people of the countryside will be able to stay at home, because there is no more need to move to bigger cities.”

Under the plan, the government will provide $300,000 to buy a cane harvester and a system to prevent pollution from burning sugar canes plants. Another $1.7million goes to the Indigenous Community of Amaicha del Valle to help 150 small wine producers. The commune of Santa Rosa will receive another $300,000 and León Rouges $1.5 million to build water wells and irrigation systems.

Another $3.5million will be used to launch a ‘Social Agricultural Plan’, while local small horticultural producers affected by hail will receive $2million in subsidies.

The relationship between Church and state in Argentina has fallen under intense scrutiny as a result of Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio’s appointment as Pope. His past and often fractious relationship with President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, outspoken views on issues such as gay marriage and abortion, and recently unearthed personal history have left many wondering if Pope Francis’ reign will unite politics and religion in Argentina, or draw them further apart.

The appointment of a Latin American pope may have surprised a few people, but the fact he is Argentine was a genuine shock to much of the world. With more than 400 million Catholics residing in South America, the institution is looking to the region for support in numbers. And given that the Church is used to being on the losing side of social change as a result of Argentina’s increasingly secular democratic system, the appointment of a conservative pope, who has in the past tried to used the weight of the Roman Catholic church to prevent issues such as gay marriage and abortion in Argentina, may be regarded as an attempt to install a more authoritative leader in the hope of swaying certain political issues.

Separation of Church and State

Article two of the Argentine Constitution states: “The Federal Government supports the Roman Catholic Apostolic religion” but it does not stipulate an official state religion nor a complete separation of church and state.

Clashes between Argentine governments and the Catholic Church have occurred throughout the country’s history, with tensions dating back to the days after the May Revolution, when in 1813 The Tribunal of the Inquisition was suppressed in the United Provinces of the River Plate, leading to the General Assembly declaring that the state was henceforth “independent from any ecclesiastical authorities existing outside its territories.”

Ever since, the relationship between the still influential church and a state that has strived to catch up with an increasingly secular society has been conflictive. Many organisations still believe the separation of church and state in Argentina is not as complete as it should be.

Pao Rafetta, who rallies the cause of the Argentine Coalition for a Secular State (CAEL), is adamant that the Pope should not become involved in government affairs and that the fact he is Argentine does not give him a political standing in the country. “It is possible that the new Pope will have a little more influence over the government as he is Argentine; this is bad news. However, his priorities should lie elsewhere because he has a huge amount of work to do in dealing with allegations of abuse, pedophilia, and so on in the Church. He should not be meddling with the State.”

Rafetta also believes Pope Francis should not intervene with laws that have already been passed. “The Argentine government is only partially secular. I believe that long-term, the government should increase its secularism and not engage Francis in political matters. Just because the new Pope is Argentine does not give politicians the right to reconsider laws that have already been made, like the right to gay marriage,” she says.

The Pope’s Past

The reactions to Francis’ appointment have been mixed. The news raised eyebrows in some sections of Argentine society due to suspicions regarding his involvement in past political issues, namely the country’s last military dictatorship. In 1976 two Jesuit priests were kidnapped by navy troops and endured five months of torture after becoming involved in leftist social movements. The priests, Orlando Yorio and Francisco Jalics, after realising they were in danger as a result of their social work in the slums, sought help from Bergoglio but to no avail. After being released the priests spoke out, claiming Bergoglio had all but delivered them to the authorities by withdrawing his protection after they refused to put an end to their social work. Yorio’s sister, Graciela, upon hearing of the Pope’s appointment, wrote in an email to an Argentine journalist, “I can’t believe it, I don’t know what to do, I’m so upset and so enraged.”

Bergoglio has denied the claims, stating that he moved quickly to meet with dictators Jorge Rafael Videla and Eduardo Massera to try and save the priests from further harm. “The horrors committed under the military government were revealed drip-by-drip, but for me they are still one of the worst blights on this country,” he said. And many Argentines believe Francis to be innocent.

Further accounts have surfaced touching on the character of a man who has not always been cast in a favourable light. Bergoglio’s six years as Jesuit provincial of Argentina have been regarded by some in the traditionally independent-minded Jesuit order as overtly conservative, even authoritarian. So Francis has his critics, many of whom will need some convincing before accepting he is indeed a worthy Bishop of Rome.

A Leader to Millions

At the same time, many Argentines are full of joy following his appointment. Claudia Sureda, professor of political science at Rosario University, believes Francis will usher in a new dawn of religious leadership, which will ultimately improve relations between the Church and State. “I think he will build bridges and dialogue. The problem is that he has a history with the Argentine government. The people in power like President [Fernández de] Kirchner and also her late husband, they have not been easy people to deal with,” she says.

President Fernández’s meeting with Francis in the Vatican may set the tone for future communication between the two figures, “Francis has already proved that he is ready to turn over a new page and start again with the government. When Cristina met him in the Vatican she probably expected him to look down on her but he did the exact opposite, he accepted her like a daughter,” says Sureda, who suggests this personable approach will not only heighten the Pope’s popularity, but also highlight the perceived shortcomings of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI.

“Benedict was an intellectual who lived in an ivory tower, the people could not get close to him. Francis is a shepherd who will bring the Church back to the people, he has already shown this by the way he has reacted to the masses. He touches them, kisses them, shows that he is approachable and I think this will be the same with regards to his relationship with the government. It will become more open and more amicable.”

Bergoglio’s time as archbishop of Buenos Aires was characterised by his preparedness to enter the city’s slums and engage with the poor. He also asked people not to travel to Rome to witness his installation mass, but to instead give the money they would have spent to the poor. Such behaviour has already endeared him to millions.

Sureda adds, “I am agnostic, but I am thrilled. Francis, even before he was Pope, was intent on bringing different religions closer together, so he is close to the Jewish community and he is willing to be close to the Muslims. Not like Benedict, who offended the Muslims with comments about Muhammad.”

Alejandro Russo, rector of Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral, is in no doubt that Francis will be an inspiration worldwide. “He has shown humility throughout his life and we are certain he is has the right characteristics to lead the Catholic people during this difficult time. With serious economic and social problems occurring all over the world, people will be looking for a leader and in Pope Francis they will find one.”

When asked if he thinks relations will improve between President Fernández and the Church he says that “today, the Church needs austerity. We need a pilgrim Church, a Church which looks outside itself, a Church to send out a message. Bergoglio is the one to do this and I am sure this message will touch the government and everyone in the world.”

 

How do locals feel about the appointment of an Argentine pope? Click here to find out.

Brazilian President, Dilma Rousseff, met the pope earlier today in the Vatican. She is the second head of state to meet Pope Francis, after he received, last Monday, President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.

The pope confirmed to the Brazilian president that his first trip abroad will be to Brazil. He will visit Rio de Janeiro in July 2013, to preside over the International Youth Day (JMJ) – a huge catholic encounter that the head of the Catholic Church attends every three year in a different part of the world.

“The pope is Argentine, but God is Brazilian,” Rousseff joked to journalists. Brazil is the country with the highest number of Catholics in the world: 123 million out of 194 million inhabitants.

“The presence of the pope at the International Youth Day will attract many people,” said Gastão Vieira, Brazilian Minister of Tourism. The most recent International Youth Day, in Madrid, attracted around two million people.

The authorities of Rio de Janeiro are getting ready to host this number of people, knowing that the presence of the Pope will attract many more.

During their encounter, the Pope and president Rousseff talked about the protection of the marginalised and needy population. After their reunion, she told the journalists that he was a very “charismatic character”, and very “involved with the poor”. They also talked about the youth problems in Brazil, such as drugs and violence.

A summit between the Community of States of Latin America and the Caribbean (CELAC) and the European Union (EU) was held in Santiago de Chile over the weekend. As the bilateral summit ended yesterday, the 2nd CELAC Summit was inaugurated by Chilean president Sebastián Piñera.

The CELAC-EU Summit, held over two days, finished yesterday with the signing of the ‘Santiago Declaration’. The main issues discussed during the work meetings and expressed in the declaration include the commitment to encourage free trade between the two regions and to establish a stable legal framework to protect investments.

“What we have all expressed here is the commitment to create a new strategic alliance between the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean,” said summit host Piñera in yesterday’s closing speech.

The positions regarding trade between the two blocs, however, were not unanimous. Whilst the countries from the Pacific Alliance -Mexico, Colombia, Peru, and Chile- and the EU were more favourable to encouraging deregulation and free-trade between Latin America and Europe, the Mercosur countries -headed by Argentina and Brazil- plus Bolivia and Ecuador, put more emphasis in the need for internal trade and protectionist measures to protect the local industry.

German chancellor Angela Merkel stated that “during difficult times, and Europe has been through some tough years, no one can expect that the best way to overcome those difficulties is protectionism.” A different opinion was expressed by Argentine president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who said that “there are emerging countries with an emerging industrial development, competing with the EU’s consolidated development, and these asymmetries need to be accounted for, so as not to damage our industry, and especially our people.”

The Santiago Declaration also included the rejection by both CELAC and the EU to the US embargo against Cuba, which “represents an important threat to multilateralism.”

After the the 1st CELAC-EU Summit ended on Sunday, the 33 members of CELAC stayed on in Santiago to take part in the 2nd CELAC Summit. As Chile is the current head of CELAC, it was president Piñera’s job to open the meeting, the first one since the organisation was created in December 2011 in Caracas, Venezuela. The Chilean president started out his speech by paying homage to Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez, who is currently recovering from a cancer operation in Havana. “We are all hoping he can win this battle, perhaps the hardest battle of his life,” said Piñera as he pointed that the Venezuelan president “has had a deep impact in the organisation [CELAC].”

Other absent presidents were Dilma Rousseff, who travelled back to Brazil as news of the Santa María tragedy broke; Rafael Correa of Ecuador, who is currently on leave as he focuses on his re-election campaign, and Federico Franco of Paraguay, who was not invited due to the controversy surrounding former president Fernando Lugo’s dismissal last year.

Despite his physical absence, Chávez was a part of the meeting as a letter he wrote to the CELAC representatives was read today by Venezuela’s vice-president Nicolás Maduro. In it the president, who lamented not being able to attend the summit, said that “CELAC is the most important political, economical, cultural, and social union project in our contemporary history.” He also celebrated that Cuba will take the rotating presidency of CELAC next, calling it “an act of justice after more than 50 years of resistance against the criminal imperial embargo.” The letter added that “Latin America and the Caribbean are telling the United States with one voice that all attempts to isolate Cuba have failed and will fail.”

During the summit, the countries’ representatives will discuss issues such as the fight against terrorism, the embargo against Cuba, and the Falklands/Malvinas conflict. It will also pay homage to the former presidents who founded the organisation, which has been dubbed by the media ‘an Organisation of American States (OAS) without the US and Canada’. The conclusions from these talks will be expressed in the Declaration and Action Plan of Santiago 2013.

At the end of the summit, Piñera will hand over the temporary presidency of CELAC to Cuban president Rául Castro.

Argentine president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner started her tour of Asia today by signing a series of agreements with authorities from United Arab Emirates.

At 1pm local time, president Fernández met Emirati president Khalifa bin Al Nahayan at the president’s palace in Abu Dhabi. Foreign minister Héctor Timerman gave a press conference after the meeting, which he said was “very positive”, in which he informed that the presidents signed agreements on nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, air services between the two countries, and agricultural cooperation.

A commercial agreement was also signed, by which Argentina will “use Emirates as a centre to distribute its products to other places in the world” through the port of Dubai’s free zone. Also, an Argentine commercial office will open in United Arab Emirates, which will in principle serve as a “business incubator”.

Timerman said that president Fernández expressed during the meeting that “Argentina is not looking for clients but partners, mainly on the basis of integration, cooperation, and technological transfer.” He also added that the country “is very much appreciated for its capacity to produce food and for its natural resources.”

The foreign affairs minister also mentioned that Al Nahayan “highlighted Argentina’s position regarding the situation in the Middle East” and thanked the president for the country’s recognition of Palestine as a sovereign state.

Later in the day, president Fernández met with sheik Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahayan, president of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, an investment fund which channels oil profits into investments in foreign countries. According to Timerman, as a result of the meeting Al Nahayan “will send a team of investment analysts to our country to have meetings with different sectors of the economy -such as the cattle industry, agriculture, mining, energy, and infrastructure- and look for investments.” Emirati investors “showed interest in different projects, especially those related to the agricultural industry, minerals, and renewable energy generation.”

Tomorrow, president Fernández will attend the 2013 Energy Summit and will later meet with Emirati businessmen. She will then continue her tour of Asia by visiting Indonesia and Vietnam.

The Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement yesterday rejecting British Prime Minister David Cameron’s latest comments on the Falklands/Malvinas conflict.

The official statement starts by repudiating “the military threats of [British] Prime Minister David Cameron related to the illegal occupation that Great Britain has exercised over the Malvinas Islands for the last 180 years.” It then goes on to request Cameron to “not use the legitimate and peaceful claims that we have made against the usurpation of part of our territory and against colonialism as an excuse to keep supporting the arms industry instead of resolving the severe social crisis which Europe is going through. People need more work and less wars.”

The ministry’s response comes after an interview Cameron gave the BBC, in which the British Prime Minister said his government would fight to keep the islands. ”Of course we would [fight for the islands] and we have strong defences in place on the Falkland Islands -that is absolutely key, that we have fast jets stationed there, we have troops stationed on the Falklands,” he said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement finished with a call for the UK “to accept the resolutions of the United Nations to resolve the Malvinas Issue in a peaceful way.”

The conflict between Argentina and the UK over the sovereignty of the Falklands/Malvinas Islands came back to the forefront last week after president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner published an open letter to Prime Minister Cameron on the British press, denouncing the “occupation” of the islands in 1833 and calling for a diplomatic solution to the conflict.

Prime Minister Cameron responded by insisting on the British position of upholding the principle of self-determination, and putting the issue of sovereignty to the islanders on a referendum to be held in March.

Susana Trimarco, mother of Marita Verón, met with the president yesterday in the Casa Rosada to discuss details of reforming the human trafficking law. Discussion about the law’s reform will begin today in the Lower House.

Trimarco told reporters that the president and Cabinet Chief Juan Manuel Abal Medina are committed to advancing with the impeachment of the second division of the criminal chamber in Tucumán. The president said, “We have to remove those people who do not belong there once and for all,” according to Trimarco.

The meeting took place just one week after all 13 accused in the Marita Verón case were declared innocent.

Carlos Varela, one of Trimarco’s lawyers, said this week is critical for the case. “The five lawyers who have been working on the case will meet in Buenos Aires with the Foundation (María de los Angeles Verón) and agree to appeal,” he said.

According to Varela, the group has three possible options: appeal to the Court of Justice of Tucumán, the national Supreme Court or the American Court of Human Rights. Trimarco already announced her decision to proceed with demands for the dismissal of three judges, or “hoodlums” as she called them, to the provincial legislature.