Argentina's interim president resigns

Argentina’s interim president Adolfo Rodriguez Saa has resigned after a volatile week in office, saying his support collapsed within his Peronist party as he tried to surmount a deep economic crisis.

Rodriguez Saa had assumed office December 23 after former President Fernando De la Rua was ousted from power by anti-government protests. But he said yesterday he was resigning immediately after failing to piece together a caretaker government with broader support.

His decision came a day after violent anti-government protests in the streets of Buenos Aires against his administration. It also came after several powerful Peronist governors boycotted a meeting to shore up support for his administration.

Speaking in a nationally televised address from his hometown of San Luis, Rodriguez Saa spoke of what he called his achievements during seven days in office - suspending payments on the country’s foreign debt and announcing new austerity measures.

But he said he failed to gain the support he needed from his own Peronist Party and thus was immediately handing over power to Senate President Ramon Puerta, who was next in line under Argentina’s constitution.

Puerta had already served as acting president for 48 hours after De la Rua’s resignation on December 21.

Rodriguez Saa said he had support from only six of the 23 provincial governors. But he said the powerful Peronist governors in places like Cordoba ‘‘have not supported me’’.

‘‘This leaves me no other choice but to present my resignation,’’ said Rodriguez Saa.

The end came after a troubled day of trying to rebuild support for his crumbling government.

Rodriguez Saa tried to call Peronist provincial governors to a meeting yesterday to mull over key issues including whether to forge ahead with a March 3 presidential election as planned and how to eventually lift a partial banking freeze imposed on December 1 to stem a run on bank accounts.

But after only five of the 14 governors turned up to the president’s residence in the Atlantic town of Chapadmalal yesterday, Rodriguez Saa was forced to suspend the meeting.

Yesterday, outside the presidential country house, more than a hundred demonstrators banged pots and shouted insults- a smaller version of the protests that rocked the government Friday night and Saturday.

The cancelled meeting capped a rocky week for Rodriguez Saa’s short-lived government.

Thousands of Argentines poured into the streets of Buenos Aires on Friday night to protest the government appointments of figures allegedly linked to corruption.

They also shouted out against the banking freeze, which limits cash withdrawals to around £700 a month. Marauding gangs on the fringes of the city later clashed with police, injuring 12 officers.

‘‘Give us back our money! Corrupt politicians, get out!’’ demonstrators shouted before police fired tear gas and water cannons.

By the time the protests had ended, Cabinet chief Carlos Grosso - among those accused of corruption - had resigned. Also out was David Esposito, a central bank chief accused of mishandling plans to unveil a new currency, the argentino.

Powerful figures in the party, above all Peronist provincial governors, were said to have been furious with the president for announcing major policies without consulting them and for raising doubts over whether he would call the planned March 3 elections as scheduled.