Police presence is everywhere in the part of Buenos Aires. Each other corner it seems is patrolled by police on foot. Cars drive through the streets in the night with lights flashing exerting dominance and making their presence known and felt. The days of the big cazolleros are well over. People have returned to their little parts of the city..... or so I thought.

Yes it is true that the assemblea protest is almost so sectorial and secluded that it is a joke. About thirty people turning up for a demonstration against the rising electricity tariffs and charges. Yet it is still happening, this is the positive. It may not be much but it is something. The piquetero’s are a different story at least once a week there is a mobilisation of at least ten thousand people in the street and often sixty or more thousand out demonstrating, against the repression from police, against the fact that there are still many people in the country suffering from hunger and against the rising tariffs the multi-national owned electricity, gas and telephones set their charges.

This is exciting. This is action that the government is very vary of and I feel a little afraid. For example, as though killing 35 people across the country in last years demonstrations, and two more protestors in June this year was not enough of an attempt to repress the people, in the demonstration of last week the police had their toys on show, their toys aimed at intimidation and mental repression. R.V., water cannons, attack dogs, battalions of police with 120cm long bashing poles made of wood, pump-action shotguns, and tear gas canisters are all on display for it is that the police have intimidation of the people as their command. Yesterday was an assemblea demonstration, assemblea demonstrations are with few people, usually under 100, all middle class, and living with money and food and thus commonly less desperation and fight in their struggles, yet a police car drove past, with lights flashing, sounding one ring of the siren as it passed the small mobilisation, and having the barrel of a pump-action shotgun leaning out the open passenger window. This is a government intent on scaring and belittling the Argentinean people.

It works.

Many people are afraid of joining or taking part in the demonstrations because of the repression experienced and witnessed now and in the past. This country has a long history of repression. 30,000 children taken from families in the 77-83 dictatorship, as if the repression of today isn’t enough to scare people. Whilst this repression continues, so will the fear within the people, it appears.

The feeling of resistance form the piquetero’s is strong. It is very empowering to be in one of these demonstrations because the people are passionate, strong and dedicated.

December 19-20, the anniversary of the assassinations in last years demonstration is nigh, and the anticipation builds