Banging pots and pans in Argentinean Protest- Margaret Canady

Government policies are being protested in the streets of Buenos Aires, Argentina, as well as the rest of the world. The protests are known as "cacerolazos", named for the pots participants bang to draw attention to their cries.

Many protesters are fighting crime rates, inflation and political corruption. A key issue is the possibility that President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner could push through changes to the country's constitution and run for reelection. Last week, a law was passed that lowered the nation's voting age from 18 to 16. Some believe the change is an attempt to draw more votes and increase the chances that the government will change the constitution.

Above all, the Argentina citizens are fighting for freedom of expression, the need for dialogue, and the right to express their opinions. As they bang their pots so the government will hear their voice, they wave signs that read, "Liberty", "No to Re-election", and "Enough Insecurity".

Supporters of the president feel this is a "right-wing" push to defame the president or overthrow the government. The president wrote on her Facebook page that her country is a democracy where people are free to express their opinions.

The protests have gone global, with demonstrators supporting protests in Miami, New York, London, Madrid, Paris, and other large cities.

I hope the population of Argentina and its government can reach an agreement or compromise that restores peace in the nation. However, the citizens should NOT allow Ms. Kirchner to restrict the freedom of speech and expression. It sounds like she is trying to gain popularity with young voters in hopes of being reelected. As this article expresses, Argentina's annual inflation rate is greater than 12%, and the president's popularity is declining due to their economic problems. If she could fix their economy, maybe she wouldn't have to change the constitution to be reelected!

Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/11/08/world/americas/argentina-protests/index.html?hpt=ila_c1