Thousands of people gathered on Thursday at the Obelisk of Buenos Aires and other nerve centers in more than 70 cities throughout Argentina to protest with a “flag for freedom” against the Government of Alberto Fernández for the measures taken to slow down the advance. of the coronavirus but also for other reasons.
The protests were called, coinciding with the 204th anniversary of Argentine independence, with the idea that the protesters would go to the designated places with their cars and display the Argentine flag from their windows, to respect social distance.
In Buenos Aires, this gave rise to a large concentration of cars, with some people climbing on the hoods and roofs to fly the national flag from there, although there were also concentrations of people on the street.
The main cause of the protest was the measures imposed by the Government to combat the pandemic, especially the national quarantine, which has left without sustenance those who depend on their daily work to survive.
“We are private and we need to work. I am going to have to become a politician, only in this way can I be billed,” said Fabio Cuggini, a 54-year-old hairdresser whose premises have been closed since the beginning of the confinement, in statements to the Argentine newspaper ‘La Nación ‘.
However, there were other reasons, such as the intervention of the agrarian company Vicentin, according to Fernández to save it from bankruptcy and at the same time guarantee the food security of Argentina in the midst of a pandemic, or the release of Lázaro Báez, the alleged figurehead of the family. Kirchner.
“With the excuse of this ‘plandemic’, they cover other things. They have people locked up, afraid and without work,” complained Carla Andrea, a 39-year-old domestic worker affiliated with the Union for the Republic.
After a cacerolada that had its reply in numerous neighborhoods of Buenos Aires and a round of applause and chants of the national anthem waving the flag, many protesters moved to the Plaza de Mayo, in front of the Casa Rosada, to continue the protest there. at street level.
Argentina is one of the Latin American countries that, despite the incidence of the virus, has managed to keep the pandemic at bay. This week it has overtaken China, already adding 90,693 cases and 1,720 deaths.
Fernández declared a national quarantine on March 20, which has subsequently been relaxed, in part, to mitigate the economic impact of the health crisis. In some places, it has been necessary to return to restrictions.
“Protecting people’s health and life is above all,” claimed Fernández during the virtual celebration of 204 years of Argentine independence.
