So I picked an interesting time to travel to all the countries I have visited. In Chile we were fortunate to be there for their bicentennial, a hunger strike of the Mapuche people, and of course during key parts of the miners rescue. We were in Brazil for Columbus Day- oddly enough a pretty big vacation weekend in this part of South America. For them t is one of the first long weekends in the Spring.
So in our last days we get to experience an very interesting recognition of a special day in Argentina (more in Buenos Aires), Peronist Day. This day recognizes Peron's release from prison. he was incarcerated well prior to his presidency because as the locals say he was gaining more power and influence and the president at that time found him as a threat. He was incarcerated for a short period of time.
As the tale goes while in prison who wrote beautiful letters to Evita and upon his release she was waiting for him at the gates. His popularity soared and his presidency would come soon after. So to commemorate there are gatherings of the perrionist parties who general have a rally, gathering type event. This year since Mother's day is going to be celebrated on October 17th (their Spring) they decided it was best to demonstrate, gather on Friday the 15th. There was an enormous rally and demonstration.
Changing the subject sort of: On the same day there was a very interesting experience that Cherelle and witnessed on the was back from our last meetings. We were driving on the expressway and were diverted off the highway and back on further up. About a half mile down cars started to pass us on the same side going in the opposite direction. This highway by the way is the equivalent of 76. In any event there is an enormous tire fire in the middle of the road set by protesters. We had to turn around drive in the wrong direction and find another way home.
They protested on this day as they knew people would be coming into Buenos Aires. The reason for the protest. There was a group that wanted the toll road to provide a "charitable contribution" to them. When the toll operators refused they decided they would make the road impassable. So what is so interesting and highly different then Chile and USA is that we allow protest but when and where it is organized is determined. Here the Police and Firefighters did nothing to put out the fire, the protesters were just hanging out in the middle of the road and that was just the way it was. In Chile similar protest on the road had occurred put the protesters were arrested and fires put out. In the USA you probably would not see the light of day for a while if you blocked 76 with a tire fire. What do you think?
I asked many locals about these kinds of protest paralyze the City and why the police or government do not do anything to contain or assist. The response was they only do if the protesters are against the Kirchner's (current President and her husband). In the end it took Cherelle two and half hours to return to the hotel versus the 50 minutes it originally took us to get there. In my next entry I have to tell you about the Student protest and strike where the Students actually took over the Ministry of Education. This is our Department of Education at the Federal level with a make shift battering ram and the students fire housed the police. It was a sight to see.
Miss you all.
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