AP
Unemployed people stand near a barricade as they block a key bridge leading to southern suburbs of Buenos Aires

Argentine authorities increased security Friday, ahead of a planned nationwide evening protest against government-imposed economic restrictions.

Police have increased their presence in Buenos Aires and other major Argentine cities. The planned protest follows a series of similar demonstrations in recent weeks.

The government's action comes amid concerns that protests could turn into riots. In December, 27 people died and Argentine President Fernando de la Rua was forced to resign amid looting and protests.

Demonstrators are particularly angry at a government order restricting withdrawals from savings accounts, a move meant to prevent possible bank collapses. That and other restrictions were put into place last month as Argentina defaulted on its international debt.

The default forced Argentina to remove its one-to-one link between the peso and the U.S. dollar. Since then, the peso has been allowed to float against the dollar and other currencies. Currently, the exchange rate stands at about 1.75 pesos to the dollar. The drastic change in exchange rates means that imported goods now are much more expensive for Argentine consumers.

Some information for this report provided by Reuters and AFP.

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