Piquetero

The word piquetero is a neologism in the Spanish of Argentina. It comes from piquete (in English, "picket"), that is, its specific meaning as a standing or walking demonstration of protest in a significant spot.

A piquetero is a member of a political faction whose primary modus operandi is based in the piquete. The piquete is an action by which a group blocks a street with the purpose of demonstrating and calling attention over a particular issue or demand. The trend was initiated in Argentina in the mid-1990s, during the Administration of President Carlos Menem, soon becoming a frequent form of protest that still prevails on the South American socio-political scene. Seventy percent of the piqueteros are women, and some of their leaders are women too, like Milagro Sala from Jujuy.