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AP (with additional material by Reuters and BBC). 1 January 2002. Argentina Names New President. BUENOS AIRES -- Congress named a Peronist party leader as Argentina's the fifth president in two weeks Tuesday as the country reeled from its most serious political and economic crisis in decades. The Peronist-controlled Congress overwhelmingly confirmed old-style populist Eduardo Duhalde as head of state. The vote was 262-21, with 18 abstentions. Pots and pans could again be heard in several districts of the capital after news of Duhalde's appointment. "No to Duhalde. Elections now," read pamphlets scattered across a Buenos Aires park after New Year's celebrations. In a brief outburst of violence hours earlier, hundreds of rival political demonstrators battled each other with slingshots, stones and paving blocks. Although the violence was swiftly quelled by police firing tear gas and rubber bullets, the street brawling was a clear sign of Argentines' simmering anger at their politicians, whom they blame for a crippling recession of nearly four years. Waving red flags, student supporters of more extreme left-wing groups battled with the Peronist demonstrators. At least two injuries were reported. Argentine radio said that police used tear gas and rubber bullets against the rioters during the "hellish clash." Standing outside Congress, his shirt smeared in blood from a rubber bullet wound, Fernando Ramirez said he hoped lawmakers would find solutions quickly. "I hope Congress can find some reasonable way out of this situation because this chaos is getting out of control," he said. Many Argentines stayed at home this New Year and streets were mostly empty and restaurants boarded up amid fear of violence. In this country of 36 million people, around 2,000 people a day fall below the poverty line and many are so angry at politicians seen as corrupt that they have insulted and spat on legislators and government officials in the street. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Barry Stoller http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ProletarianNews ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: archive@jab.org EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9WB2D Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
