December 2001 riots in Argentina

The **2001 crisis in Argentina** is sometimes known as the **Argentinazo**. () It was a political, economic, social, and institutional crisis. It was fueled by a revolt under the slogan "All of them must go!" (). This led to the resignation of the president of Argentina, Fernando de la Rúa, giving rise to a period of political instability during which five officials exercised the National Executive Power in a few months.

This happened within a larger crisis that lasted between 1998 and 2002. It was caused by a long recession that made a humanitarian, social, economic, financial and political crisis. During the crisis, 39 people were killed by state and private security agents.

## Overview

The trigger for the crisis was the imposition of the "Corralito" on December 2, 2001. It was a government provision that restricted the withdrawal of cash from banks. This was designed by the then Minister of Economy Domingo Cavallo. This had a major impact on the lower class, mostly unbanked, and the middle class, which was strongly restricted in their economic movements.

On December 13, the workers' unions declared a general strike, and violent outbreaks began to take place in some cities in the country and in Greater Buenos Aires. They were mainly looting by unemployed and indigent sectors of the population, theft of trucks in the routes, common robberies and street cuts in the cities.

The revolt led to a social outburst on the night of December 19, 2001, soon after Fernando de la Rúa announced the establishment of a state of siege. Many people took to the streets throughout the country to express their discontent with the government and political representatives. This lasted all night and the next day, when the order was given to repress the demonstrators, 39 of whom were killed. Most of the people win the protests were self-convened and did not respond to any political party, union or structured social organization.

On December 20 at 7:37 p.m., the president resigned and left the Casa Rosada by helicopter.

During the following twelve days there was a high level instability that also led to the resignation of successor president Adolfo Rodríguez Saa.

The social and economic instability, as well as the ignorance of the legitimacy of political representatives, extended in the following years.

## Infobox (civil conflict)

- **title**: 2001 riots in Argentina
- **image**: Obelisco 20Dic01.jpg
- **caption**: Protests in the city of Buenos Aires on December 20, 2001.
- **date**: 19–20 December 2001
- **causes**: 1998–2002 Argentine great depression, Economic crisis
 _ Corralito _
 Political instability
 Convertibility plan, Crisis of the Convertibility plan
- **result**: * President of Argentina, President Fernando de la Rúa declared a state of siege.
* President Fernando de la Rúa resigned from office.
* Ramón Puerta assumed as interim president of the Senate in charge of the Executive Branch. Justicialist Party returned to power after two years of opposition.
- **side1**: Government of Argentina
- **side2**: Protesters
- **leadfigures1**: Fernando de la Rúa
- **leadfigures2**: _No centralized leadership_
- **casualties2**: 39 civilians killed.