Protests Continue Amid Argentine Austerity Plan

Thousands of Argentines took to the streets early Saturday, banging pots and pans in the latest peaceful protest against a government unable to end a chaotic recession in its fourth year.

President Eduardo Duhalde on Friday unveiled a sweeping plan to scale back government spending. But thousands of angry protesters responded with a march on the presidential palace, yelling insults at the beleaguered president.

The crowd that gathered around the Casa Rosada, numbering more than 3,000, also blamed Supreme Court judges and Argentine politicians for the country’s deep economic crisis.

Hundreds more protested outside Duhalde’s residence, snarling traffic and holding up signs calling for banks to return their partially frozen bank accounts.

“Give us back our money!” read some signs.

On Friday, Duhalde announced moves to reduce Argentina’s government by 25% to achieve a $500-million spending cut. The International Monetary Fund has demanded deep cuts in exchange for badly needed aid.

The plan calls for scaling back the number of seats in national, provincial and municipal governments, along with cuts in the number of staff.

Duhalde is also proposing to eliminate midterm congressional elections.

“The plan’s savings will be used for social programs,” Duhalde said Friday.

The government of former President Fernando de la Rua imposed the banking freeze Dec. 1 to halt a single-day, $2-billion run on banks.