27 Jun 2019 | 08:42 AM UTC
Argentina: Thousands protest due to ongoing electricity outage in La Plata June 26 /update 3
Thousands protest as they remain without electricity in La Plata June 26; more protests may follow
Event
As of Wednesday, June 26, thousands remain without electricity in La Plata (Buenos Aires province) since the power outage hit parts of Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay on Sunday, June 16. Hundreds of people have protested the ongoing outage demanding prompt restitution of service, including business owners, as the outage is also affecting commercial operations.
More protests should be expected in the coming days if power is not restored. Tensions may follow.
Context
A blackout occurred at 07:00 (local time) on June 16, and affected the Argentina's main power grid as well as the national power grid of Uruguay and southern Paraguay, before being restored hours later to 90 percent of costumers.
Advice
Individuals in the affected area are advised to keep battery-operated devices fully charged whenever possible, remain vigilant for criminal behavior and avoid conspicuous displays of wealth, refrain from discussing political topics in public or on social media, and avoid all public demonstrations due to the risk of violence and arrest. In addition, individuals are advised to be cautious when driving or crossing streets if traffic signals are not functional.
