MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina: all set for Tuesday's rallies force-demonstration

The Argentine government/farmers stand off over export taxes has scheduled a new demonstration of force next “Super” Tuesday when the presidential Kirchner couple government faithful, and farmers with city supporters, will be out on the streets of Buenos Aires in two simultaneous, but 50 blocks away separate rallies.

The following day (Wednesday) the Argentine Senate will hold a full house vote on the controversial sliding export tax system on grains and oilseeds, --which triggered the four months plus conflict--, and apparently (in spite of the ruling coalition comfortable number majority) as happened in the Lower House it will be a tight vote (129 to 122). According to Argentine press reports and political analysts, the Kirchner couple has 34 votes in favor of the resolution 125 while the opposition has 30, with another 7 undecided or speculating on possible considerations for their provinces as happened in the Lower House vote a week ago. The Tuesday rallies are supposed to garner support for both positions and will be a test for the Senators to fathom the waters particularly of the ruling Justicialista coalition of the Kirchner couple which has seen its hold on the party, in the last months, wane considerably because of the farmers' conflict and their ruling style. Last week they were unable to prevent the powerful trade unions movement from splitting in two. The original idea of the rally was from farmers who will be meeting at the Spaniards monument, three miles from downtown. Mr. Nestor Kirchner president of the Justicialista party replied with a similar rally, the same day, but in front of Congress in support of his wife President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, under the banner in defense of "democracy and the institutions". Since then an exchange of recriminations has begun with both sides accusing the other of promoting provocation, violence, clashes and the former president insisting that the farmers' final objective is a "coup" to oust his wife, the elected president. According to the Argentine press the Kirchner administration has organized a huge "lift and carry" operation in metropolitan Buenos Aries with thousands of contracted buses to bring "supporters" to the Congress plaza where a huge forty meters stage has been mounted. Furthermore mayors in Buenos Aires outer counties have been instructed to impede the inflow of farmers to the opposite rally, and definitively tractors, harvesters, lorries and horses have been banned from circulating in highways. And obviously disturbing any buses bringing adherents to join the farmers. The government is also believed to be promoting a strong presence in the streets of Buenos Aires of pickets' organizations ("black shirts") with the purpose of intimidating Buenos Aires residents. Buenos Aires Federal Police is mounting a no go area between the two rallies and will try to divert traffic to both concentrations as to avoid them from clashing. As far as rallies are concerned the government has been the most active having organized several: in the iconic Plaza de Mayo, in Salta, Tucuman, but the farmers managed to organize the largest of all in Rosario, at the foot of the Monument to the Flag where an estimated 300.000 people marched peacefully with no "lift and carry" operations as has been the case with the Kirchner couple's rallies. Analysts estimate that if farmers can manage to convene anywhere from 60.000 to 100.000, it would be a great demonstration. They are counting on the support of Buenos Aires residents who sympathize with the farmers' cause and are disgusted, when not furious with the Kirchner couple because of inflation, shortages and the ruling style of the powerful couple. However analysts also agree that if anything goes wrong it could mark a serious social rift for Argentina. Farmers' organizations and some governors are protesting what they consider a "confiscating" export taxing system which has changed (increased) at least three times in the last twelve months, the last in March which triggered the conflict. The Kirchner couple argues that the farmers have benefited from windfall earnings because of world commodity soaring prices, and should pay higher taxes to help redistribute wealth in Argentina (and build hospitals) as well as ensure food at affordable prices for all Argentines. The Kirchner administration also argues that the exchange rate in Argentina has been managed to help exports (and farmers) and fuel is subsidized. The Senate on Wednesday will be considering three bills: the government sponsored, as it was voted in the Lower House which is a repeat of the controversial March resolution 125, plus some temporary benefits for small farmers; a second sponsored by the opposition and a third from the dissident Justicialistas who are gathering force for a Kirchner option regrouping that includes powerful Senators, former governors and former caretaker president Eduardo Duhalde. Their objective is a strong alternative for next year's mid term election and they are gaining ground in several provinces and in the labor movement. Economists on the other hand point out that the Argentine economy is rapidly slowing down because of the farmers' stand off and inflation has become the great challenge at the current rate of government expenditure.