Argentines have lost their fear of fear. Not the fear of being repressed by a government that has very rarely deployed the security forces to contain demonstrations, even when public and private property were at risk. But fear of being called anti-democratic coupsters (‘Gorilas’), or simply ‘too rich’ to understand how President Cristina Fernández’s policies are intended to bridge the large gap dividing rich and poor Argentines. On 13 September, hundreds of thousands of (mainly middle class) citizens poured onto the streets in the main urban centres in protest at myriad government policies; their self organisation without the aid of traditional political parties and their pacific demonstrations were just the first in a string of negative events that have put the government firmly on the back foot just a year after Fernández was re-elected by a landslide.End of preview - This article contains approximately 1435 words.
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