Violent demonstrators linked to Peronist social organizations set a Christmas tree on fire in Lanús
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For the second consecutive day, a municipality in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area governed by a leader from La Cámpora became the scene of a protest filled with tension and marked by internal political disputes within Kirchnerism.
This Tuesday, the situation escalated in front of the Lanús City Hall when demonstrators linked to social organizations close to Peronism set fire to a Christmas tree installed at the entrance of the municipal building.
The incident occurred around midday and was captured in various videos. In one of them, one of the demonstrators can be heard justifying the action while he sprayed the Christmas decoration with a flammable liquid: “If Julián doesn't come, there is no Christmas here for anyone”, in a direct reference to Mayor Julián Álvarez, a leading figure in La Cámpora and head of the district government.
Manifestantes kirchneristas.
The protest in Lanús took place just one day after the incidents recorded in Quilmes, where a group identified with the Excluded Workers Movement (MTE), an organization founded by communist Juan Grabois, staged disturbances that included the burning of tires, clashes with the police, and people being arrested.
That day also led to a heated public confrontation between Grabois and former Quilmes mayor, Kirchnerist Mayra Mendoza, who is also a leader of La Cámpora.
In the case of Lanús, the demonstration took place in front of the municipal headquarters and was led by activists from the Movimiento Evita, a picket-line group that, within Peronism's internal factions, is aligned with Buenos Aires Province Governor Axel Kicillof. The presence of activists affiliated with organizations close to Grabois and the Socialist Workers Movement (MST) was also recorded.
The municipal government downplayed the nature of the demand and stated that it was not a genuine neighborhood protest, but rather “a roadblock with political intent and not a genuine demand from residents of Lanús”. In the same vein, local leaders pointed out that “they are staging a roadblock against Julián Álvarez”.
Mayra Mendoza y Juan Grabois.
Suspicions about the political background of the demonstration were reinforced, in La Cámpora's view, when organizers identified among the demonstrators a local political operator linked to Agustín Balladares, named Silvio Denis Guzmán, known as “Tinino”, along with about 30 people who tried to force their way into the municipal building.
The reference to what happened in the district governed by Mayra Mendoza further fueled suspicions about a possible political offensive against municipalities administered by La Cámpora. In Quilmes, the violent protest broke out after the approval of an ordinance to implement metered parking and was led by “trapitos” backed by organizations close to Grabois.
That episode led to a direct clash between Mendoza and the communist leader. In an audio message that the former mayor shared in an internal WhatsApp group, she can be heard harshly criticizing Grabois: “You encourage violence. Who do you think you are?”
