Argentine Lower House unanimously approves draft emergency food law

Friday, September 13th 2019 - 19:20 UTC

Full article 24 comments

“We all have to help in a complicated context, there are many people who are having a hard time” said Arroyo from Alberto Fernandez opposition group

Argentine lawmakers on Thursday unanimously approved a draft emergency food law to free up resources for social programs amid a worsening economic crisis. The bill, yet to be approved by the Senate, would provide a 50 percent increase in food assistance programs to growing numbers of poor.

“We are facing a problem of hunger, malnutrition and a sharp drop in income,” opposition lawmaker Daniel Arroyo, a co-author of the bill, told the lower house Chamber of Deputies.

Soaring inflation and rising poverty have stirred outrage at austerity measures introduced by center-right president Mauricio Macri's government in order to comply with the terms of a record US$ 57 billion IMF bailout.

Thousands of protesters have been camped near the Congress building since Wednesday to demand more funds be released for welfare programs and for soup kitchens and schools.

“We all have to help in a complicated context in which there are many people who are having a hard time,” said Arroyo, a member of the leftist coalition of opposition leader Alberto Fernandez, who is favored to win October’s presidential election.

Argentina has been in recession since 2018, with 32% of the population below the poverty line, and 10% unemployment.

Macri has scrapped sales tax on some staples in recent weeks and increased bonuses in an attempt to alleviate social pressure. Nevertheless, inflation is expected to reach 55% this year.

Macri acknowledged on Thursday that many Argentine families “are finding it harder to make ends meet.”

“Where this situation strikes most clearly is at the table of Argentines, which is the most important thing for the family.”

Categories: Economy, Politics, Argentina.

Tags: Argentina, Daniel Arroyo, emergency food law.

Top Comments

Disclaimer & comment rules

Tarquin Fin
An emergency food law that Alberto will have to keep paying in the future. A law only needed for propaganda purposes. What's even more sinister is that there is no need for such a law. The funds for increased food help during emergency situations is something that can be arranged by the social welfare ministry.

Is this the only way to counter the “social organizations” mafia? Is Congress sure that this extra help will not end up in the wrong hands?

Oh Alberto, are you sure that you still want this job?
Sep 13th, 2019 - 07:16 pm +3
golfcronie
Argentines, get off your arses and work for a living, instead of asking the State to support you, you all want free meals and no taxes and all sit round a table moaning how bad life is.Get off your arses.
Sep 14th, 2019 - 08:56 pm +3
Tarquin Fin
You two, your time is up. You keep on embracing post-war era falacies. Alberto will have a tough time and I will be here to support him if he shows courage to turn around our decadent system into the money making machine that it is supposed to be.

I'm sorry but your old fashioned ideas have turned this country into a mess. Look who's talking. One living in Canada, the other one supposedly in northwestern Chubut. Both of them far, far away to what the real word on the streets is.

Alberto will be a surprise. A really good surprise. And if you upper class socialists don't let him be, the market will correct things. Cristina will have to watch her steps if she wants to stay out of jail. Unless of course she exiles herself in Cuba. Alberto is her last card.

So long suckers!
Sep 14th, 2019 - 05:12 pm +2

Read all comments

Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!