The protracted conflict with the farmers and growing inflation demolished in two months the support for Argentine president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner according to the latest public opinion poll from the consultants Poliarquía released on Thursday.
While Argentine government officials expressed optimism, following the Thursday meeting with camp representatives to discuss tax policies, farmers said they were let down and feel frustrated by the government's attitude of delaying proposals and discussions.
Argentine farmers said on Wednesday they are willing to discuss the controversial sliding levies on grains and oil seed exports but also cautioned they were looking forward to a grand national celebration in the scheduled Sunday rally at Rosario, and not another occasion of protest and claims.
Argentine farmers and government will most probably resume negotiations on Thursday while tomorrow details of the meeting will be jointly agreed according to sources from the Ministry of Economy and published in the Buenos Aires press.
Bishop Jorge Casaretto, head of the Argentine Catholic Church Social Pastoral Committee said that perception at the moment ”is that poverty (in Argentina) is increasing”. The statement contradicts a recent Argentine government report indicating that poverty had fallen to 20.7% in the second half of 2007 compared to the previous 23.4%.
A climatic emergency was declared Monday in Comodoro Rivadavia following strong winds, rain and snow storms which covered most of the Argentine Patagonian province of Chubut with several feet of snow.
Argentine farmers agreed to lift the 70 days conflict as of Wednesday when discussions over export tax policy with the government, and grain markets activities will resume, although the state of alert remains in force.
An Argentine federal judge summoned hake fisheries management organizations following a claim from the Mar del Plata Fisheries Chamber, Capemar, which considers government resolutions unconstitutional and a contributing factor for the fishery's current critical state.
Argentina's government authorized a new hike in domestic air rates to the tune of 18%, just a month after a similar increase to help airlines face the soaring cost of fuel.
The Malvinas families' trip to the Falkland Islands for the inauguration of the monument at the Argentine cemetery in Darwin again surfaced during a private meeting of Argentine and British officials last week, in the framework of the European Union/Latinamerican leaders' summit held in Lima, Peru, according to reports in the Argentine press.