Kirchner opponents repeat protests in Argentina

"Tens of thousands" of Argentinians protested on 8 November in Buenos Aires and other cities against insecurity, inflation, corruption and the policies of President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, repeating the protests organized in September, the daily Clarín reported on 9 November. It observed that these protests were "directed principally against" Kirchner, who many Argentines suspect may wish to serve a third presidential term. She is not allowed by law to serve a third consecutive term and the government has said nothing about plans to alter the constitution to allow this, but suspicions evidently persisted. Police reportedly counted some 30,000 people outside the presidential palace in Buenos Aires in the evening, while Clarín, a daily unsympathetic to Kirchner, reported "massive demonstrations" not just in the capital but in cities including Córdoba, Mendoza and San Miguel de Tucumán, without citing figures. The government noted the support of some opposition politicians for the protests including of the mayor of Buenos Aires Mauricio Macri who was reportedly in the crowd. The speaker of Argentina's lower legislative chamber Julián Domínguez observed on 9 November that mobilisations "for negative sentiments are not good for" Argentina and would not strengthen institutions, the state agency Telam reported. Kirchner in turn defended her policies at a gathering in the presidential palace on 9 November, as a "political project of inclusion, even of those who disagree," Telam reported. On 7 November, a power outage left some 1.5 million residents of central Buenos Aires without electricity for over two hours, also halting the metro and utilities and causing traffic jams, Europa Press reported on 8 November. Work in parliament and government offices was also affected. The planning minister Julio de Vido said on 8 November that the government would investigate prior to possible legal action, and insisted there had been "no problem with energy supplies or generation," Europa Press reported. He said "we cannot blame the heat...we notice the hour, the place and the demand, which was half what that line could convey." November is late spring in Argentina.