Argentine unionist groups and social organizations took over the streets of Buenos Aires Wednesday causing traffic jams during office hours as they protested against rising inflation and unemployment and the deterioration of living conditions in general under the administration of President Alberto Fernández.
Argentine president Alberto Fernandez together with business people, union leaders and representatives from social groupings launched the social pact, called “Argentine commitment for development and solidarity”, with the purpose of achieving long term consensus that goes beyond a presidential mandate (four years), and includes “shared goals which can be crystallized in different chapters”
Argentina's Peso suffered its biggest one-day slide in almost three years on Wednesday after the central bank sold reserves for a second straight day and the president asked the International Monetary Fund for early release of standby funds.
Argentina ground to a halt on Monday as public service unions blocked road, rail and air transport with a nationwide 24-hour strike in protest at the government's latest deal with the International Monetary Fund. In a massive show of force against the conservative government of President Mauricio Macri, organizers said at least one million workers were taking part in the industrial action which halted trains, subways, buses and flights in Latin America's third-largest economy.