Protesters opposed to proposed austerity measures clashed with police outside Argentina's Congress on Wednesday as lawmakers discussed next year's budget. Dozens of people threw rocks while police in riot gear responded with rubber bullets and water cannons. Local television said that at least twenty-seven people have been detained but there were no confirmed reports on injuries.
Argentina's powerful teamsters union organized on Saturday a well attended march to the Cathedral of Lujan under the rallying call of ”bread, peace and work (jobs)”, which concluded with a mass, homily and strong message from Archbishop Agustin Radrlzzani, the only speaker at the event.
Argentina says that consumer prices rose 6.5% in September bringing the twelve month inflation rate to 40.5%, one of the world's highest. The inflation rate published by the official statistics agency Indec, on Wednesday follows a sharp devaluation of Argentina's currency. The nine month rate reached 32.4%.
The International Monetary Fund has announced that Jamaican economist Trevor Alleyne will be the institution's representative in Argentina, after confirming it had decided to reopen an office in Buenos Aires, six years after leaving. The decision comes after Buenos Aires reached a deal with the IMF on the money supply, interest rates and an exchange rate framework.
Argentina's GDP will fall 2.6% and inflation will reach 40% this year, according to the International Monetary Fund's Global Perspectives Report released Monday at the beginning of the body's annual Assembly in Bali, Indonesia.
The International Monetary Fund staff and Argentina authorities have reached an agreement on a set of strengthened economic policies that will underpin the 36-month Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) approved on June 20, 2018.
The governor of Argentina's central bank, Luis Caputo resigned on Tuesday for personal reasons, the bank said in a statement, a surprise announcement in the midst of the country's talks with the IMF that sent the peso tumbling. Former finance minister Caputo has only held the role since June and is the second Argentine central bank president to resign this year. Argentina's peso currency slid 4.65% to open at 39.15 per U.S. dollar after the announcement, traders said.
Argentina's economy contracted sharply in the second quarter after a severe drought roiled agricultural production and as the country works with the International Monetary Fund to stem spiraling inflation and control government finances.
Argentina's battered Peso currency inched higher and the risk of its bonds defaulting declined after the government unveiled its budget plan and the IMF said “important progress” had been made on revamping the country's standby loan agreement.
The International Trade Union Conference, ITUC’s affiliates in Argentina, CGT, CTA-A and CTA-T have announced a general strike for 24-25 September in opposition to expected sweeping austerity measures being developed by the government and the International Monetary Fund.