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, located northwest of Buenos Aires on the west bank of the Paraná River, is the third-most populous city in the ...
) is a controversial
Argentine
Argentines, Argentinians or Argentineans are people from Argentina. This connection may be residential, legal, historical, or cultural. For most Argentines, several (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their ...
political activist. He was the leader of an organization called the (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 countries in the Americas
**Spanish cuisine
**Spanish history
**Spanish culture
...
: ''Movimiento Independiente de Jubilados y Desocupados'', MIJD), a ''
piquetero'' group. In 2021, he founded the
Youth and Dignity Left Movement (in Spanish: ''Movimiento Izquierda Juventud Dignidad'', MIJD).
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:
Arts and entertainment Film and television
*'' Præsident ...
Néstor Kirchner
Néstor Carlos Kirchner Ostoić (; 25 February 195027 October 2010) was an Argentine lawyer and politician who served as the president of Argentina from 2003 to 2007. A member of the Justicialist Party, he previously served as Governor of Sa ...
(2003–2007); 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 ''
Raul 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 community as the Puerto Madero Waterfront, is a Barrios and Communes of Buenos Aires, ''barrio'' of Buenos Aires in the Buenos Aires Central Business District, Central Business District. Occup ...
, 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
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