MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine farmers resume protest and march on Congress

After the four-month conflict with the Argentine government over the hike in grains and oilseeds export duties, farmers began protesting again last week in the interior of the country demanding an end to President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner administration's inaction.

"With the vote of (vicepresident Julio) Cobos (that scrapped Resolution 125) the problem has not ended" said Eduardo Buzzi president of the Argentine Agrarian Federations, one of the most vocal of farm leaders. Buzzi also said that "now we are not talking about going on strike... the time of assemblies is over. Now it's the time of the National Congress, which has wakened up after a long period of slumber." Entre Ríos FAA head Alfredo De Ángeli said that on September 9 "there will be a large assembly at the Dos Congresos square," in front of Congress. "We are calling for the implementation of a national agricultural plan and the withdrawal of the (Cabinet chief's) superpowers, since Congress has given superpowers to the Executive branch and (the latter) is wrongly using the provinces' resources." He also said that farmers have obtained an agreement over "the dairy industry, cattle breeding and regional economies. We need to adjust a bit more the issue of export duties... to come up with an initiative to be handed over to Congress afterwards." According to figures released by the Entre Ríos liaison committee, which organized the weekend's gathering, over 5,000 farmers from the provinces of Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires, Tucumán, Santa Fe, Córdoba and Corrientes attended the rally although police officers estimated there were only 1,500 people. The farmers' rally was similar to the one staged in the city of Olavarría a week earlier. As on that occasion, farmers' leaders criticized the government of Mrs. Kirchner. Buzzi said that the government was "making a diagnosis but without taking serious measures," and added that "there is much ado about nothing". He also said that the national administration distributes a large amount of money to grant subsidies to major companies whereas "farmers who suffered from droughts are given small subsidies." De Ángeli insisted in his statements that "now we are worse off than on March 10," before Resolution 125 was implemented by former Economy minister Martín Lousteau, who resigned a few months ago when the dispute was at its highest peak. (BAH)