World

Rush hour delay in Argentina, violence erupts

by Tina Kells | September 5, 2008 at 10:09 am

230 views | 0 Recommendations | 3 comments

Frustrated workers in Argentina revolted Friday after a commuter train was delayed, costing them a day of pay. Militant members of the Workers Party are said to have orchestrated the destructive chaos by sabotaging the brakes on the train and then stirring up anger in the stranded crowd.

Black smoke and flames engulfed the train at the station of Merlo, in the western suburbs of the capital, Buenos Aires. At nearby Castelar, passengers hurled stones at the ticket office and blocked the rails.

Many commuters said the delays, caused by a broken-down train, had cost them a day's work.

Argentina's Justice Minister Anibal Fernandez said the faulty train's brakes had been sabotaged and leftist political activists took rocks and flares from their backpacks to incite violence and set the train aflame.

Fernandez told a news conference: "This was planned, it was premeditated."

The government is blaming the incident on planned provocation by the left-wing activists, known as "piqueteras" in Argentina. The Workers Party has categorically denied the government accusations, pointing out that this is not the first time frustration with Argentina's aging commuter system has led to violence.

The train was set aflame and struck with rocks as the enraged crowd quickly went out of control. Seven arrests have been made for theft of public property following the destruction. Argentina's government is estimating that the cost of the damage will top $7 million.

0 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | | facebook | stumbleupon

recommend This comment thread is now closed

ale_del_cerro

at 16:10 on September 5th, 2008

This train is in an Historical place: "La prisión del fin del mundo"
Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego.
This train is not in use nowadays.

Thanks.

I heared the bad news of some trains were burned. but it happens in Buenos Aires 3000 Kilometres North.

ale_del_cerro has contributed a photo to this story.

ale_del_cerro

at 16:12 on September 5th, 2008

excuse, my english languaje is not very good.

inkel

at 09:15 on September 6th, 2008

I, as an Argentinian, have a sad feeling about what happened the other day. It is not the first time this happens, the same train line experienced something similar two years ago.

Wether this was premeditated by a group of people or simply the result of public transportation users frustration, it is clearly wrong and exhibits the current state of Argentinian public transportation system, especially trains.

This is a big city and trains would be more than useful, million of people uses the train as their main transport every day. I hope the situation changes someday.

inkel has contributed a photo to this story.