Raúl Castells (born 1950 in
Rosario
Rosario () is the largest city in the central provinces of Argentina, Argentine province of Santa Fe Province, Santa Fe. The city is located northwest of Buenos Aires, on the west bank of the Paraná River. Rosario is the third-most populous ci ...
) is a controversial
Argentine
Argentines (mistakenly translated Argentineans in the past; in Spanish (masculine) or (feminine)) are people identified with the country of Argentina. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Argentines, s ...
political activist. He is the leader of an organization called "Independent Movement for the Retired and Unemployed" (in
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...
, ''Movimiento Independiente de Jubilados y Desocupados'', MIJD), a
piquetero
A ''piquetero'' is a member of a group that has blocked a street with the purpose of demonstrating and calling attention over a particular issue or demand. The word is a neologism in the Spanish language, Spanish of Argentina, coming from ''pi ...
group.
Castells moved in 1984 to
Santa Fe, where he would spend the next twenty years. He has been detained a number of times under the administration of
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
Néstor Kirchner
Néstor Carlos Kirchner (; 25 February 195027 October 2010) was an Argentine lawyer and politician who served as the President of Argentina from 2003 to 2007, Governor of Santa Cruz Province from 1991 to 2003, Secretary General of UNASUR and ...
; he and his supporters have protested that he is being subject to political persecution. Though Castells has sympathizers in Argentina, many other people disagree with his views.
Castells had a documentary made about him and his movement, called ''Raúl The Terrible''. It was made by Australian political filmmaker David Bradbury and writer/producer
Carlos Alperin A 'warts-and-all portrait of a man driven to change the world and a frightening insight into the politics of poverty.'
In the beginning of March 2006, Castells was given permission to open a community kitchen for poor people at
Puerto Madero
Puerto Madero, also known within the urban planning
Urban planning, also known as town planning, city planning, regional planning, or rural planning, is a technical and political process that is focused on the development and design of land ...
, the most expensive and wealthy neighbourhood in the city. The site was donated by a business owner in the area who got his permit revoked. The building, offering free food to the poor, is situated opposite the Hilton Hotel and is topped with the words "We are fighting for an Argentina in which the dogs of the rich don't eat better than the children of the poor".
The project has proven controversial, with concerns about the influx of large numbers of impoverished people expressed by some local businessowners.
References
External links
*Galloping Film
MIJD Official Page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Castells, Raul
1950 births
Argentine people of Catalan descent
People from Rosario, Santa Fe
Living people
Argentine activists
Candidates for President of Argentina