By 7 p.m. the giant Christmas Tree, plastic construction (no pine trees around here), on the Plaza de Mayo was in flames. Billowing black smoke covered El Centro for blocks.
The bomberos (Fire department) doused the flames, but only after nothing but the metal skeleton of the tree and a sad looking burnt out star atop of its metal wire frame was all that was left.
This is the 10th Anniversary of the Fall of President Fernando de la Rua, who left office (in the midst of a violent uprising) after 2 years and 10 days as president of Argentina.
To remember the event, leftist labour party members, leftist extremist and proclaimed anarchists poured into the streets around the Obelisco, Avenida de Mayo and Plaza de Mayo. Some had their faces wrapped in scarfs, some beat sticks on pavement and security fences, some laid truck tires across the width of the avenue and set them aflame, some went wild with spray cans to proclaim slogans like 'Death to the State', or 'Contra Toda Autoridad', and 'La Izquierda y la Derecha son la misma Mierda' (The Left and Right are the same Shit), or waved banners in the air
The press was out, so was the police, some journalists were attacked, some had their film cameras kicked by the protesters.
The rest of Portenos filling streets and squares at the time, captured the event on their smart phones.
Shops around the areas closed up in a hurry.
The Subte did not stop at the Congreso Station anymore - for the time being.
Television covered the event life, with a warning that content was not suitable for children.
The Nativity scene and Manger under the tree had been set aflame as well.
The protester chanted whilst the firemen tried to extinguish the flames: se va a acabar, se va a acabar este costumbre de matar...
(It's going to be quenched, it's going to quenched - this habit of killing....)
All that after the official Christmas season opening under the huge artifical tree, festooned with lights and decorations, was celebrated only a few days ago, the 8th December 2011.
Plaza de Mayo at sunset....20th December 2011
Back in 2001, Argentina defaulted on its debt, austerity measures were not popular, social unrest throughout the country. The citizens (many of then, not all) rebelled. Police forces quelled the uprising by force, 36 people died in the streets. De la Rua left the Casa Rosada by helicopter, Plaza Mayo fronting it, in flames. The country and its government was in dire straits - and remained so for a good while.
Fernando de La Rua, blamed for ordering the police to quell the riots by force - 2001
Street Scene of the 2001 uprising
People caught in the chaos of 2001
Woman facing guns in 2001
This Christmas season of 2011, the whole city of Buenos Aires has been festooned with gigantic photographs like the ones above, commemorating the terror of 2001, as a tribute to the 36 victims of violence in those days.
Other items in today's news...
A 61 year old retired woman beat up one of four thieves, who entered her home. The other three thieves were apprehended by police.
A young government economist ( Hey) hanged himself int he Radisson Hotel in Montevideo - no violence suspected. He body has been returned to Belgrano (Buenos Aires). Kristina, the President, had to be attended by her doctors - shock or grief counselling I suppose.
Code yellow for today's heat wave: 36 degrees, and 'tormentas and granizos' (thunderstorm and hail)
Maybe this is a day to keep the home airconditioning going, and keep a low profile.
