MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Unions and opposition promote 24-hour strike paralyzing Argentina
Opponents of Argentina's President Mauricio Macri launched a 24-hour strike on Wednesday to protest the government's inability to reduce inflation that has reached 55% over the past year. The strike paralyzed public transport while all flights to and from the country's airports were canceled. Banks, schools and universities remained closed. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rulesWHAT ARE THE BEGGARS UP TO NOW?
May 30th, 2019 - 04:58 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The economy is tanking, inflation is sky high and all Argentines pull up their sleeves and...strike.
May 30th, 2019 - 06:14 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Some people are smarter than others. Just sayin'
Yeah, and the smart ones aren't working hard so other people can get rich.
May 30th, 2019 - 10:11 pm - Link - Report abuse -1When'll the out-flux of the refugees from Argentina begin?
May 30th, 2019 - 11:13 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The unions are reacting, with delays and in a very moderate way, to what their members have been demanding for quite some time now. Once more, Macri has succeeded...in forcing the workers' unity and determination.
May 31st, 2019 - 01:30 am - Link - Report abuse -2The main claim is the loss of purchase power in light of inflation on one side and the government's refusal to allow for collective bargaining to update wages on the other.
On the government's side, economy minister Dujovne said the strike caused a loss of $40 billion pesos to the country. The workers obviously don't feel the way the minister feels.
On the other hand, our star commentator on all things Argentina has gifted MP readers with a (low hanging) fruit of his intellect:
“The economy is tanking, inflation is sky high and all Argentines pull up their sleeves and...strike.”
It's good to see Jonaz acknowledging that the Argentine economy is tanking and inflation is high.
Now, to say that “all Argentines pull up their sleeves” is a bit contradictory in a scenario where many would like nothing else but “pull their sleeves” but are prevented from doing so because thousands of businesses are closing doors and the number of unemployed ski rockets.
To top it all, a federal judge is uncovering a vast conspiracy involving government officials, members of the judiciary, intelligence services members and journalists in what is called the D'AlessioGate.
The investigation stems from an extortion attempt on an agribusiness man and could reach individuals at the government's highest levels. Judge Alejo Ramos Padilla has uncovered evidence that this illegal organization has worked to tarnish the reputation of CFK government officials through baseless accusations.
Veeeery interesting.
From the Reliable Sources; I hear that Venezuela could be willing to accept the refugees from Argentina [+Brazil?]
May 31st, 2019 - 02:02 am - Link - Report abuse 0Skull:
May 31st, 2019 - 08:04 pm - Link - Report abuse -1Don't worry. The Argentines are going nowhere.
On the contrary, they are redying for a fight. They are getting ready to kick out the most deceptive government the Argentines have suffered since the 1983 return of democracy.
@Enrique Massot
May 31st, 2019 - 11:14 pm - Link - Report abuse 0REF: The Argentines are going nowhere
Right!
They won't! Under ANY government! A Better Solution:
http://operamundi.uol.com.br/media/images/MacriLatuff2.jpg
“The Argentines are going nowhere”
Jun 01st, 2019 - 12:09 am - Link - Report abuse 0You can say that again.
Birds of the SAME feather:
Jun 01st, 2019 - 09:21 am - Link - Report abuse 0https://images.sul21.com.br/file/sul21site/2013/08/20130802burocracia-poe-em-risco-brasileira-paula-blume-acidentada-na-argentina.gif
JBA
Jun 01st, 2019 - 02:35 pm - Link - Report abuse -1“You can say that again.”
Of course I will. For sure, the brain drain that was reversed during the Kirchners has started again, as highly qualified people find impossible to get jobs.
However, the majority is now holding on in hopes to vote out the current government before the end of the year.
Mauricio Macri and his merry gang have succeeded in placing Argentina in a virtual default position -- indeed, without the IMF money, the country would have been unable to face its obligations with private investors, after they stopped lending early 2018.
Of course, with the IMF money came several conditions, which have made IMF's Christine Lagarde the real economy minister of Argentina.
Those conditions have but deepened an already existing recession, without having a noticeable effect on inflation.
As a result of which Macri and his merry gang are flying low in vote intentions, even so much more since the announcement of the Fernandez-Fernandez ticket, which has generally been well received by the society at large.
You can only screw people so much.
@Enrique Massot
Jun 02nd, 2019 - 10:45 am - Link - Report abuse 0REF: “You can only screw people so much”
I beg to differ:
One one hand; the politicians consider it as Their Right and on the other hand; the masses got addicted to getting screwed! So everything is absolutely “NORMAL”!
:o)) You nailed it.
Jun 02nd, 2019 - 04:13 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Skull
Jun 03rd, 2019 - 02:03 am - Link - Report abuse 0“...the masses got addicted to getting screwed!”
Well: This is precisely what is not happening in Argentina. Hundreds of thousands of Argentines descend every day to the streets to protest. The police of Patricia Bullrich tear gases them, spray their eyes with pepper spray, fire rubber bullets and real lead ones on occasion. The citizens still go out. Recently, a day of general strike was massively supported.
So, no such addiction exists in my view.
@Enrique Massot
Jun 03rd, 2019 - 12:56 pm - Link - Report abuse 0REF: “So, no such addiction exists in my view”:
Are the masses making Failed-[frail]-Attempts perhaps?
Fernández-Fernández: centrist credibility in the Argentina election?
Jun 03rd, 2019 - 05:41 pm - Link - Report abuse 0http://blogs.bsg.ox.ac.uk/2019/05/30/fernandez-fernandez-centrist-credibility-in-the-argentina-election/
ZB
Jun 04th, 2019 - 06:54 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The problem is, the choice is now very narrow for most Argentines. It's either allow the current gang to achieve the country's destruction, or try something else.
No doubt Alberto Fernandez provides an interesting balance bound to attract many of those who saw Cristina as too left-leaning.
That's why the government-supporting media has been insisting on the theory that Alberto Fernandez will be just a figurehead. Which is denied by history: Alberto Fernandez has demonstrated he is anything but. When he disagreed, he parted ways with then president CFK and they remained estranged for 10 years.
However, the salient fact in all of this is Cristina's willingness to step back and accept a VP position when she had chances to win as president candidate. She is aware that in the current situation, the country will need a wide governing front in order to manage the economic devastation that will be the inheritance left by the current highway robbers.
EM,
Jun 05th, 2019 - 05:34 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“The problem is, the choice is now very narrow for most Argentines. It's either allow the current gang to achieve the country's destruction, or try something else.”
That is your interpretation. An alternative choice is either allow the current gang to try their best or go back to the previous crowd who pretty much succeeded in achieving the country's destruction.
“No doubt Alberto Fernandez provides an interesting balance bound to attract many of those who saw Cristina as too left-leaning.”
Exactly, which is what the article says is one of the reason's CFK has done this. But is it enough to convince anyone that she has moderated her ideas?
“That's why the government-supporting media has been insisting on the theory that Alberto Fernandez will be just a figurehead. Which is denied by history: Alberto Fernandez has demonstrated he is anything but. When he disagreed, he parted ways with then president CFK and they remained estranged for 10 years.”
So why accept her as his VP then?
“However, the salient fact in all of this is Cristina's willingness to step back and accept a VP position when she had chances to win as president candidate.”
The article indicates that she recognised that she wouldn't win if she did that.
“She is aware that in the current situation, the country will need a wide governing front in order to manage the economic devastation that will be the inheritance left by the current highway robbers.”
She may be aware of that, but she didn't do a “wide governing front” last time she was in power did she?
ZB
Jun 05th, 2019 - 07:40 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“An alternative choice is either allow the current gang to try their best or go back to the previous crowd who pretty much succeeded in achieving the country's destruction.”
A destroyed country? You must be kidding.
A destroyed country would have not allowed the Macri government to borrow as massively as it did -- first from the private sector, next from the IMF -- bringing Argentina's National Government Debt to 332 USD bn in 2018 -- from 217 USD bn in 2015.
And while in 2015 Argentina's Government Debt to GDP ratio was 52 per cent, it was 86 per cent in 2018 and much higher by now.
And what Macri has to show for all that money? Nothing. The money was officially spent on current expenses -- no capital investment to show. In reality, a substantial proportion of the borrowed money took flight thanks to the absence of rules on capital movements.
In December 2015, Macri had all the chances on his side. The country had a manageable debt, and there was a dynamic domestic productive sector. He all but obliterated the sector. Today, over 50 small and medium size enterprises close down each day.
Institutionally, the country is at an all-time low as a result of the executive actively interfering with the judiciary. Another low was reached by Macri a few days ago when he sat next to him in a public ceremony federal prosecutor Carlos Stornelli, who is legally in rebellion state after being summoned five times by a federal judge and refused to comply. (Stornelli can't be taken to court by the police because he has immunity).
You've got to be blind not to see what's going on.
But as they say, “There is no worse blind man than the one who doesn't want to see.”
“And what Macri has to show for all that money? Nothing.”
Jun 06th, 2019 - 05:20 pm - Link - Report abuse 0So the all of the very visible investment in infrastructure under Macri is “nothing” and magically came from nowhere?
And to counter your inevitable response (without evidence) that Macri somehow benefited financially from all of the new building works, even if that were true, the work has actually been done! Under CFK a lot of money changed hands and no work was done!
So would you rather pay CA$30,000 for new windows for your house knowing that potentially CA$10,000 of that will be profit for the installer or pay CA$100,000 and get no new windows as the installer runs away with all of your money? If you prefer the latter, it would explain a lot!
Or, as you seem to be saying above, do you pay the CA$30,000, get your windows installed and then complain to the installer that you received nothing for your money. You had windows before and you still have windows so nothing changed. And they are transparent so kind of invisible...
ZB
Jun 07th, 2019 - 11:52 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Wow! I’ impressed. You have lost no time learning to recite the Macri government's new mantra: ”since we have nothing to show on the economic front, let's drop the topic and talk as much as possible about something else, such as public works, and let’s say we are doing it for cheap too!
Well: I am sorry to burst your bubble, Zaphod. The strategy may have had an effect two or three years ago. Now, with the economy in contraction, high debt, high inflation and impossible interest rates, domestic consumption plummets, economic activity slows down and productive capacity rapidly disappears.
No wonder you won't touch MP stories such as:
“Argentine construction industry contracts 7.5% in April and 10.3% in four months”
“Argentina's industrial output down 8.8%; car production falls 35.3% in twelve months”
Mauricio Macri could have done things differently and he would be now smoothly sailing towards re-election. However, his shallowness and dogmatism, his contempt for the people who voted for him and his greed were stronger.
That is why he is in serious risk of becoming a simple citizen on December 10 and may have to explain his attempt, while in office, to erase the royalties debt the Macri Group has with the Argentine State for the Poste franchise, as well as for irregularities in the contract to execute el Paseo del Bajo given to IECSA, the company formerly owed by Angelo Calcaterra, the president’s cousin, and by close friend Marcelo Mindlin.
Meanwhile, Cristina has yet to be convicted in the many processes opened against her – even after four years of efforts to find evidence.
What goes around comes around.
Soooooo... did CFK do any public works or not? Surely there must have been a few, Zaphod?
Jun 08th, 2019 - 10:32 am - Link - Report abuse 0Commenting for this story is now closed.
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