for a couple of people I know there, who are getting caught in the gears?

The government deserves whatever bad stuff it gets. The slobs in the street are just acting on what they know, which is a milder version of Taliban-style education: The Leader Knows Best. Bow to Him. As seems to be usual in Hispanic countries (or, rather, those of South Mediterranean ancestry -- Argentina is more Italian than Spanish) the padron or caudillo gets much more respect than I personally think he should, and is able to lead as many into temptation as he might wish. Peronists are a weird sort of leftist Populist (think Huey P. Long), with a really strong tendency to Bread&Circuses or modern variations thereon. The people I know there (techs and internationalist business people) do NOT vote for them.