Argentinian President to lift state of siege as last act

Driven from power by a devastating economic crisis and deadly riots, outgoing Argentinian President Fernando De la Rua returned to his offices for a last time today to await the formal hand over to a caretaker government.

Looking sombre in a dark suit, De la Rua arrived at the Casa Rosada and lashed out at the opposition Peronists for failing to join him in a government of ‘‘national unity.’’

‘‘The Peronists made a mistake,’’ said De la Rua, saying their refusal to join him in a reorganised government had hastened events that triggered his downfall.

Still smarting from the Peronist refusal to participate in a new Cabinet that would have allowed him to stay on, De la Rua said angrily: ‘‘That’s the way they decided to exercise power.’’

Technically, De la Rua remained president until his resignation could be formally approved by Congress later today. He said he wanted to cancel a state of siege he imposed on Wednesday. ‘‘I would like that to be my last act in government,’’ he said.

Facing riots and unrest that have since claimed 22 lives, De la Rua took up the emergency powers to forbid public gatherings and grant security forces greater powers of arrest.

De la Rua resigned last night and flew from the palace in a helicopter, driven out by deepening economic troubles, riots in the capital and looting of homes and supermarkets across Argentina.

It was Argentina’s worst unrest in a decade, but the protests had largely subsided in the capital Buenos Aires last night though looting continued nationwide.

Police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at thousands of anti-government protesters in the run-up to his fall. Rioters looted houses and stores in other cities, and more than 200 people were injured nationwide.

Now Argentina’s faltering economy awaits the hands of a caretaker government led by the party founded by strongman Juan Peron in the 1940s.

The Peronists, who hold a majority in both the Lower House and Senate, will take their turn at trying to tame a crisis that has left the country perilously close to defaulting on its £91bn debt burden.

Senate Leader Ramon Puerta was in line to take over today as interim president until a special assembly decides whether to call new elections within months.

Puerta said Friday he wished only to hold the presidency temporarily while Congress decides whether to call new elections.

‘‘I’ve never held a post for which I have not been elected,’’ he said. ‘‘But I will fulfil my duties to the republic in these very difficult moments.’’

Many Peronist leaders said they favoured calling new elections in no less than 60 days.

De la Rua was departing as one of the most unpopular leaders in Argentina’s history having imposed round after round of punishing spending cuts.