ARGENTINA: Heads of state from the Americas meet for the second day marred by violent clashes in the streets of Mar del Plata and Beunos Aires

Record ID: 449083

  • Title: ARGENTINA: Heads of state from the Americas meet for the second day marred by violent clashes in the streets of Mar del Plata and Beunos Aires
  • Date: 5th November 2005
  • Summary: (BN03) MAR DEL PLATA, ARGENTINA (NOVEMBER 04, 2005) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DEMONSTRATORS DESTROYING BUSINESS VARIOUS OF DEBRIS ON FIRE IN THE STREET VARIOUS OF ANTI-RIOT POLICE ON THE STREET VARIOUS OF DEMONSTRATORS THROWING STONES AT POLICE VARIOUS OF ANTI-RIOT POLICE
  • Embargoed: 20th November 2005 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Argentina
  • Country: Argentina
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA2ZMRUZURG3LK3IFQXXKXCK7YM
  • Story Text: As the IV Summit of the Americas entered its second day in the Argentine seaside resort of Mar del Plata, the host city was assessing the damage from Friday night's (November 4) violent protests.
    Outside the coastal city's heavily barricaded secure zone, where the presidents were meeting, local residents began the job of cleaning up.
    Protests had been expected from the radical 'piquetero' groups - militant unemployed who rose to fame during the 2001 economic crisis. The violent confrontations came hours after a large-scale peaceful march by thousands of anti-Bush demonstrators
    One local resident cleaning up residue from the streets, expressed his frustration, "I don't know who should have acted, I don't know, but that's not how I want the country to be," he said.
    Friday night's violent confrontation began with the burning of US flags. Demonstrators then went on to throw stones at police and set fire to a foreign bank and other businesses in the area. One angry resident complained that the police, despite being heavily armed and reinforced for the summit, had not acted in time.
    "The police didn't act when they should have acted. Because when they threw the first stone, the police stayed where they were, and they were destroying everything, burning the bank," he said.
    This morning, as security continued to patrol the city coast, the leaders met with some seeking to unite the hemisphere behind an agreement to revive free-trade talks.
    Mexican President Vicente Fox said he refused to give up on the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas.
    "My love is great and absolute for both, for the two free trade agreements, Mercosur and the FTAA. And if this love doesn't exist and this 'yes' doesn't exist for my marriage proposal, well, I will continue insisting, I will keep making more love to Mercosur and more love to the FTAA," he said.
    The Free Trade Area of the Americas ( FTAA) scheduled to begin 10 months ago, has been at the heart of U.S. policy in the region. However, some of the major Latin economies including Brazil, Argentina and Venezuela put the brakes on a deal they felt favoured the United States.
    Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, Latin America's leading foe of U.S. President George W. Bush, arrived at the two-day summit telling anti-Bush and anti-free trade protesters he would "bury" the FTAA.
    US President George W. Bush, who was accompanied by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, carefully avoided taking on Chavez, in what aides said was an effort not to elevate the fiery leader.
    Long an irritant to Washington, Chavez has often accused the United States of of plotting his overthrow or assassination.
    The U.S. strategy was to avoid a loud public battle that might build up the Venezuelan and his anti-American argument and take away from the overarching U.S. goal for the summit to promote democracy and economic prosperity.
    The Mar del Plata Declaration could include a date in 2006 to restart talks, which would be considered a victory for Bush.
    An FTTA agreement would make the Americas the largest free-trade zone in the world, eclipsing the European Union.
    It would also, according to some analysts, help Latin America break its boom-and-bust cycles and reduce poverty in the region.
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