Machafuko ya Desemba 2001, yanayojulikana pia kama Argentinazo, yalitokea nchini Argentina kufuatia mgogoro mkubwa wa kiuchumi. Serikali ilizuia watu kutoa pesa benki (Corralito), hali iliyochochea maandamano na uporaji.
Mnamo tarehe 19 na 20 Desemba, maandamano yalienea kote nchini, huku watu 36 wakiuawa na vikosi vya usalama. Rais Fernando de la Rúa alitangaza hali ya hatari na hatimaye kujiuzulu, akitoroka kwa helikopta kutoka Ikulu. Tukio hili liliashiria anguko kubwa la kisiasa na kiuchumi kwa Argentina.
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December 2001 Riots
The December 2001 crisis, sometimes known as the Argentinazo, was a period of civil unrest and rioting in Argentina, which took place during December 2001, with the most violent incidents occurring on 19 and 20 December in the capital, Buenos Aires, Rosario, and other large cities around the country. It was preceded by a popular revolt against the Argentine government, rallying behind the motto "All of them must go!" (Spanish: ¡Que se vayan todos!), which led to the resignation of then-president Fernando de la Rúa, ushering in a period of political instability during which five government officials performed the duties of the Argentine presidency. This period of instability occurred during the larger crisis known as the Argentine great depression, an economic, political, and social crisis that lasted from 1998 until 2002.
The December 2001 crisis was a direct response to the government's imposition of "Corral" policies (Spanish: Corralito) at the behest of economic minister Domingo Cavallo, which restricted people’s ability to withdraw cash from banks. Rioting and protests became widespread on 19 December 2001, immediately following the president’s declaration of a state of emergency and his resignation on the following day. A state of extreme institutional instability continued for the next twelve days, during which the successor president Adolfo Rodríguez Saá also resigned. While the degree of instability eventually subsided, the events of December 2001 dealt a blow to the legitimacy of the Argentine government that persisted for years.
The majority of the participants in the protests were unaffiliated with any political party or organization. Over the course of the protests, 39 people were killed by police and security forces, most of them during sackings in provinces governed by the Peronist opposition. Of the 39 killed, nine were minors.
While political reforms under the previous president Carlos Menem had succeeded in reducing inflation, the downsides of his economic policies became increasingly apparent starting in 1997. Maintaining the convertibility of pesos to dollars required the government of Argentina to obtain an abundant supply of American dollars. Initially, this was sustained through the privatization of nearly all of the Argentine state's industries and pension funds. Once the privatization process ended, Argentina's agriculture export-based economy was unable to maintain a sufficient dollar flow, and the system began to rely heavily on sovereign debt.
Internal tensions plagued the Alliance, with FrePaSo leaders feeling marginalized and the Radical Civic Union itself divided between left- and right-leaning factions. In late 2000, a scandal broke out when it was reported that SIDE, Argentina's intelligence agency, had paid bribes to senators to pass a controversial labor reform law. The head of SIDE, Fernando de Santibañes, was a close ally of De la Rúa. This crisis climaxed in October 2000 when Vice President Carlos Álvarez resigned, citing De la Rúa’s refusal to confront corruption.
In an attempt to stabilize the economy and manage its debt, the government launched two major debt-restructuring campaigns, dubbed El Blindaje (“The Armoring”) and El Megacanje (“The Megaexchange”), under IMF supervision. These programs were clouded by allegations of corruption and money laundering.
The crisis also prompted all FrePaSo ministers to resign, leaving De la Rúa politically isolated. The October 2001 congressional elections were a disaster for the government, which lost several seats to the Peronists. Voter dissatisfaction was evident through millions of blank or nullified ballots.
On 29 November 2001, capital flight and investor withdrawals triggered the collapse of the banking system. The IMF refused further refinancing, compounding the situation.
At 4 p.m., De la Rúa went on national television offering to form a national unity government with the Peronists. Three hours later, the Peronist Party rejected the offer. With no political support left, De la Rúa resigned.
Because of the violence outside the presidential palace, De la Rúa was airlifted from Casa Rosada by helicopter—an image that became symbolic of the crisis. By day’s end, 26 people had died, five of them in Buenos Aires.
With no vice president in place, Ramón Puerta, President Pro-Tempore of the Senate, became interim president.
Mnamo tarehe 19 na 20 Desemba, maandamano yalienea kote nchini, huku watu 36 wakiuawa na vikosi vya usalama. Rais Fernando de la Rúa alitangaza hali ya hatari na hatimaye kujiuzulu, akitoroka kwa helikopta kutoka Ikulu. Tukio hili liliashiria anguko kubwa la kisiasa na kiuchumi kwa Argentina.
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December 2001 Riots
The December 2001 crisis, sometimes known as the Argentinazo, was a period of civil unrest and rioting in Argentina, which took place during December 2001, with the most violent incidents occurring on 19 and 20 December in the capital, Buenos Aires, Rosario, and other large cities around the country. It was preceded by a popular revolt against the Argentine government, rallying behind the motto "All of them must go!" (Spanish: ¡Que se vayan todos!), which led to the resignation of then-president Fernando de la Rúa, ushering in a period of political instability during which five government officials performed the duties of the Argentine presidency. This period of instability occurred during the larger crisis known as the Argentine great depression, an economic, political, and social crisis that lasted from 1998 until 2002.
The December 2001 crisis was a direct response to the government's imposition of "Corral" policies (Spanish: Corralito) at the behest of economic minister Domingo Cavallo, which restricted people’s ability to withdraw cash from banks. Rioting and protests became widespread on 19 December 2001, immediately following the president’s declaration of a state of emergency and his resignation on the following day. A state of extreme institutional instability continued for the next twelve days, during which the successor president Adolfo Rodríguez Saá also resigned. While the degree of instability eventually subsided, the events of December 2001 dealt a blow to the legitimacy of the Argentine government that persisted for years.
The majority of the participants in the protests were unaffiliated with any political party or organization. Over the course of the protests, 39 people were killed by police and security forces, most of them during sackings in provinces governed by the Peronist opposition. Of the 39 killed, nine were minors.
Background
The Argentine economy
Fernando de la Rúa, as the candidate for the Alliance for Work, Justice and Education, had assumed the role of president in December 1999 in the middle of a recession, caused in part by the Convertibility plan (Spanish: Ley de Convertibilidad) passed in 1991, which pegged the value of the Argentine peso to the United States dollar.While political reforms under the previous president Carlos Menem had succeeded in reducing inflation, the downsides of his economic policies became increasingly apparent starting in 1997. Maintaining the convertibility of pesos to dollars required the government of Argentina to obtain an abundant supply of American dollars. Initially, this was sustained through the privatization of nearly all of the Argentine state's industries and pension funds. Once the privatization process ended, Argentina's agriculture export-based economy was unable to maintain a sufficient dollar flow, and the system began to rely heavily on sovereign debt.
Fernando de la Rúa’s presidency
One of the key factors leading to the victory of the Alliance in the 1999 elections was its promise to uphold the convertibility plan. One of De la Rúa’s campaign slogans declared “With me, one peso, one dollar” (Spanish: Conmigo, un peso, un dólar). Despite a shifting international economic landscape—including downturns in Brazil, one of Argentina's major economic partners—and increasing demands for monetary sovereignty, the Alliance maintained its commitment to the status quo.October 2000 Crisis
De la Rúa's political standing was precarious. His rise to power had been made possible by the Alliance for Work, Justice and Education (Spanish: Alianza para el Trabajo, la Justicia y la Educación), a coalition between the Radical Civic Union and FrePaSo. While the coalition won the presidency, it failed to secure a majority in the Senate and Chamber of Deputies and lost key provincial elections to the Peronists, who retained control of major districts such as Buenos Aires, Córdoba, and Santa Fe.Internal tensions plagued the Alliance, with FrePaSo leaders feeling marginalized and the Radical Civic Union itself divided between left- and right-leaning factions. In late 2000, a scandal broke out when it was reported that SIDE, Argentina's intelligence agency, had paid bribes to senators to pass a controversial labor reform law. The head of SIDE, Fernando de Santibañes, was a close ally of De la Rúa. This crisis climaxed in October 2000 when Vice President Carlos Álvarez resigned, citing De la Rúa’s refusal to confront corruption.
March 2001 Crisis
The administration’s economic policies suffered a major blow in March 2001 when Economy Minister José Luis Machinea resigned. He was briefly replaced by Defense Minister Ricardo López Murphy, who quickly stepped down due to backlash against his austerity measures. Domingo Cavallo, architect of the original Convertibility plan, then returned as Economy Minister.In an attempt to stabilize the economy and manage its debt, the government launched two major debt-restructuring campaigns, dubbed El Blindaje (“The Armoring”) and El Megacanje (“The Megaexchange”), under IMF supervision. These programs were clouded by allegations of corruption and money laundering.
The crisis also prompted all FrePaSo ministers to resign, leaving De la Rúa politically isolated. The October 2001 congressional elections were a disaster for the government, which lost several seats to the Peronists. Voter dissatisfaction was evident through millions of blank or nullified ballots.
Social Unrest and Economic Collapse
From the late 1990s, protest movements like the piqueteros—mainly composed of unemployed workers—began blocking roads and demanding welfare support. They played a significant role during the March 2001 crisis.On 29 November 2001, capital flight and investor withdrawals triggered the collapse of the banking system. The IMF refused further refinancing, compounding the situation.
Corralito
On 2 December 2001, Finance Minister Cavallo introduced the Corralito, limiting cash withdrawals to $250 per week. This sparked outrage among the middle class and intensified distrust in the government. Though alternative payment methods were still usable, public frustration boiled over into protests across the country.General Strike and Looting
On 13 December, Argentina’s major labor unions declared a general strike. The strike was widely observed, even in typically uninvolved sectors. During the strike, protests and looting erupted, with seven people killed between 13 and 19 December.19 December
On 19 December, President De la Rúa declared a state of siege. That evening, mass protests erupted, including a cacerolazo—a form of pot-banging protest by the middle class. The day ended with the resignation of Domingo Cavallo. Protesters gathered in Plaza de Mayo, clashing with federal police.20 December
What began as protests by the unemployed had become a full-fledged middle-class revolt. Despite the state of siege, demonstrators converged on Plaza de Mayo. Government attempts to censor media coverage failed when the Media Secretary refused to comply. Violence intensified, especially in the Plaza de Mayo, where five people were killed.At 4 p.m., De la Rúa went on national television offering to form a national unity government with the Peronists. Three hours later, the Peronist Party rejected the offer. With no political support left, De la Rúa resigned.
Because of the violence outside the presidential palace, De la Rúa was airlifted from Casa Rosada by helicopter—an image that became symbolic of the crisis. By day’s end, 26 people had died, five of them in Buenos Aires.
With no vice president in place, Ramón Puerta, President Pro-Tempore of the Senate, became interim president.
