About 300 picketers in Gualeguaychu made, on Sunday night, a torch claim to protest against the installation of the pulp mill UPM-Botnia in Fray Bentos. The demonstration on the General San Martin International Bridge reached about 500 meters from the international border with Uruguay, once started at 9pm, Uruguay time.

The move brought together hundreds of Assemblymen who carried torches as a sign of claim against the plant and to commemorate the international day of wetlands. A string of twelve barges (from Argentina) accompanied the protest. The ships had Argentine flags and carried lanterns to make their presence felt.

(www.elpais.com.uy and www.espectador.com, 1 February 2010)