Weekly Report - 16 December 2003

The mass protest rally scheduled for 20 December by the piqueteros (ostensibly organisations of unemployed workers) has been planned in the style of the pre-battle military manoeuvres of yore - to display the relative force of the various factions of the piquetero `movement' as well as their overall strength. The government will be taking note, not only of these features, but also of the extent to which the event breaks out of its stated aim of keeping the protest peaceful.