The G20 Summit Brings Leaders Together as Protesters Gather (in Photos)

International—and intranational—tensions are high in Buenos Aires.
Communist demonstrators hold up posters decrying United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May and U.S. President Donald Trump as imperialists in Spanish in Buenos Aires on November 30th, 2018.

This week, political and economic leaders from 19 of the world’s most influential countries and the European Union are meeting in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The group, called G20—short for Group of Twenty—began meeting regularly in 2008 for major discussion and decision-making on global issues.

This year’s summit is especially heated. Argentinians are protesting in droves in the capital—the government is allocating a massive amount of resources to the safety and security of the leaders at the same time that the country faces tight austerity measures. Ahead of the summit’s first day of meetings, Argentinian leftists organized protests against the International Monetary Fund and the summit itself, and clashed with national police.

Meanwhile, international tensions are high. All eyes are on Saudi Arabia and its Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, who many intelligence agencies and governments are blaming for the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Meanwhile, United States President Donald Trump canceled a one-on-one meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, citing the seizure of Ukrainian vessels in the Black Sea—although the cancelation came directly after Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen pleaded guilty in the ongoing Department of Justice probe into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

A woman walks past banners against G20 and the International Monetary Fund on the day before the beginning of the G20 Leaders' Summit 2018 on November 29th, 2018, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Over 24,000 police officers and security agents work on the G20, which gathers the leaders of the top 20 industrialized nations of the world during a two-day meeting on November 30th and December 1st.
A woman walks past banners against G20 and the International Monetary Fund on the day before the beginning of the G20 Leaders’ Summit 2018 on November 29th, 2018, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Over 24,000 police officers and security agents work on the G20, which gathers the leaders of the top 20 industrialized nations of the world during a two-day meeting on November 30th and December 1st.

(Photo: Paula Ribas/Getty Images)

Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammad bin Salman shares a laugh with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the opening day of the G20 Leaders' Summit 2018 at Costa Salguero on November 30th, 2018, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Both leaders have been praised and supported by U.S. President Donald Trump despite international criticism.
Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammad bin Salman shares a laugh with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the opening day of the G20 Leaders’ Summit 2018 at Costa Salguero on November 30th, 2018, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Both leaders have been praised and supported by U.S. President Donald Trump despite international criticism.

(Photo: Amilcar Orfali/Getty Images)

President of France Emmanuel Macron shakes hands with President of Argentina Mauricio Macri after a meeting as part of the G20 Leaders' Summit 2018 at Casa Rosada on November 29th, 2018, in Buenos Aires.
President of France Emmanuel Macron shakes hands with President of Argentina Mauricio Macri after a meeting as part of the G20 Leaders’ Summit 2018 at Casa Rosada on November 29th, 2018, in Buenos Aires.

(Photo: Ricardo Ceppi/Getty Images)

Military police prepare to clash with demonstrators around the G20 Leaders' Summit during a protest on November 30th, 2018, in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Military police prepare to clash with demonstrators around the G20 Leaders’ Summit during a protest on November 30th, 2018, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. 

(Photo: Ricardo Ceppi/Getty Images)

General view of the Plenary Session during the opening day of the G20 Leaders' Summit 2018 at Costa Salguero on November 30th, 2018, in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
General view of the Plenary Session during the opening day of the G20 Leaders’ Summit 2018 at Costa Salguero on November 30th, 2018, in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

(Photo: Amilcar Orfali/Getty Images)

Communist demonstrators hold up posters decrying United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May and U.S. President Donald Trump as imperialists in Spanish in Buenos Aires on November 30th, 2018.
Communist demonstrators hold up posters decrying United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May and U.S. President Donald Trump as imperialists in Spanish in Buenos Aires on November 30th, 2018.

(Photo: Paula Ribas/Getty Images)

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