- published: 28 Aug 2011
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The Rosariazo (Spanish pronunciation: [rosaˈɾjaso]) was a protest movement that consisted in demonstrations and strikes, in Rosario, province of Santa Fe, Argentina, between May and September 1969, during the military dictatorial rule of de facto President General Juan Carlos Onganía. The Rosariazo was caused by events in other parts of Argentina, and in turn triggered similar protests itself.
There was a general climate of unrest caused by social injustice in the country. On 13 May 1969, in Tucumán, former workers of a sugar mill took the factory and its manager as hostage, asking for overdue payments. On 14 May, in Córdoba, automobile industry workers protested the elimination of the Saturday rest. On 15 May the University of Corrientes increased the price of food tickets in its cafeteria fivefold, and the ensuing protest ended up with one student, Juan José Cabral, killed by the police.
On 16 May 1969 the students of the Faculty of Medicine of the Universidad Nacional de Rosario expressed their rejection of such actions; other faculties joined them. The rector suspended university activities until next Monday. The next day a protest started at the cafeteria of the UNR. The police suffocated a demonstration and killed student Adolfo Bello. The CGT labour union called for an "status of alert", and Bello's murder was denounced by the public.