Date: Sat, 22 Dec 2001 13:27:39 -0400 From: Aaron Koleszar <•••@••.•••> Subject: Argentina Revolts! Updates/photos The first articles are followed by "Argentina declares state of emergency" Images: http://www.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=109145&group=webcast Tons of great photos. Articles: 1. First hand account from the Plaza de Mayo 2. The day after in Argentina: A personal account 3. A call to action 4. IMF blamed for Argentine crisis 1. First hand account from the Plaza de Mayo Comrades, I have made it back from the battle. I am way to tired to write a complete report, but I will do so tomorrow when I get up. I will however say that these was far beyond anything I have seen before (way beyond Quebec, Goteborg, Genova, etc.). We tried to fight our way to the Plaza de Mayo (where the presidential palace is). Hardest fighting I've ever seen. As the OSL said, it was step by step, meter by meter. Rocks against an unholy amount of gas, rubber bullets, tanks, water hoses, you name it. The cops on occassion ran out. We carried forward our barricades all we could, we got to the corner of the Plaza. I truly thought we would take the presidential palace, and thus fought like it was truly the last battle. Unfortunately, we did not make it. But we fought for 7 hours straight, back and forth. Unbelievable intensity. Amongst the people fighting there was all sorts, from a couple thousand leftists (from our march, which was attacked after only 1 block), to young people who were simply pissed, old workers (people in their 50s and 60s with bandannas and rocks), people in suits and ties straight from work, *everyone* continued: http://argentina.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=5229&group=webcast 2. The day after in Argentina: A personal account Buenos Aires woke up today in the middle of smoke and disaster due to the riots that took place yesterday in the center of the city near the main square (Plaza de Mayo). Even the stain of blood of the 6 people murder remain like yesterday afternoon. The incredible riot was something never seen before, at least since I was born (i'm 22). We fought the police with anything we had, rocks and sticks, while they were using tear gas, rubber bullets, and real ones. People coming from every where, were whilling to give their lives in the clash. Now we reached at least 1 of our aims, re resignation of the president, but this is not enough; because at this moment the peronist (the biggest party of the "opposition") are taking the power, and obsolutly nothing is going to change because y=they are also resposible for all of the economic situation, the external debt, the 20% of unoccupied people. They are forcing a devaluation (i'm sorry but i don't know how is the accurate translation)that is going to cause more hunger and sorrow for the working people, and will only benefit the big national corporations. But i believe things have changed in the last 48 hours, let's see what happens next and how long this peronist goverment last. source: http://www.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=109092&group=webcast 3. A TODOS LOS CIUDADANOS DEL MUNDO QUE TENGAN EMBAJADA ARGENTINA/ TO ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD LIVING IN COUNTRIES THAT HAVE ARGENTINIAN EMBASSIES AND CONSULATES El gobierno argentino no existe, se fugo corrido por el pueblo que no va a acceptar ninguno de los otros politicos corruptos, Ya se llamen radicales o justicialistas. En estos momentos las delegaciones argentinas en el extranjero no tienen la mas minima legitimidad. Este es un llamado a todos los ciudadanos del mundo que concurran a las embajadas argentinas de sus paises y exigan la salida de los embajadores, que no tienen nuestro mas minimo apoyo. Que la protesta sea masiva y global!! El pueblo argentino les autoriza a ustedes ha hacer lo que se les cante las pelotas con ese edificio que es parte del territorio argentino. Porque no una casa de divulgacion cultural? o para hospedar a la gente sin techo, que las hay hasta en Europa? Arriba los que luchan. - English Translation Argentina doesn't have a government anymore. The embassies and consulates in the different cities arround the world are not authorized to represent the Argentinian people. We urge you to go to the Argentinian ambassy or Consulate in your country and dismiss the personnel, including the Ambassador. You are authorized by the people of Argentina on the streets to do what you want with these buildnings that are a part of the Argentinian territory. Why not a cultural center or a home for people without any place to sleep? source: http://www.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=109145&group=webcast 4. IMF blamed for Argentine crisis BBC (London) December 21 source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/business/newsid_1722000/1722935.stm The IMF was "instrumental" in engineering Argentina's financial collapse because of irresponsible lending which "exacerbated" its foreign debt problem, foreign creditors have claimed. Argentine people have seen their pensions taken away, unemployment soar, inflation jump and their industries decimated. "The IMF... were instrumental in engineering this, lending an additional huge amount of money this year," Hans Humes, of Van Eck Emerging Market Funds and spokesman for a New York-based committee of Argentina's foreign creditors told the BBC's Today Programme. Foreign creditors expect the collapse of the government to delay a restructuring of the nation's $132bn (#91.2bn) public debt and cause a default. One rating agency said it will cost private investors half of the $97bn (#66.9bn) face value of their claims. The International Monetary Fund decided two weeks ago to cut Argentina's $22bn credit line but denies it is to blame for the country's troubles. Debt swap unlikely Argentine President Fernando de la Rua resigned on Thursday as violence engulfed the country. The widespread riots and looting were in response to more than four years of harsh austerity policies demanded by the IMF to repay the debt. President de la Rua was only halfway through his four-year term and quit just hours after economy minister Domingo Cavallo. The resignations mean the country is unlikely to be able make its planned 20 January debt swap. By swapping out of current bonds and into new low interest bearing loans, the government had hoped to cut its heavy debt servicing payments. IMF blamed "They (IMF) were really the last lenders to Argentina and have exacerbated the debt overhanging the country," said Mr Humes, adding the IMF should take its share of losses. "This is a market where you make your own risk estimates and that should apply to the private sector as groups like the IMF who are way over their budget for lending to Argentina," he said. "It's going to cut across everybody, banks, insurers, pension funds, every financial institution would have some exposure," Mr Hume said. Default rating Fitch, the credit ratings agency, said on Thursday that Argentina is likely to default on about $97bn of outstanding debt owed to private creditors. The agency also said it did not believe that Argentina's currency peg, under which one peso is convertible into one US dollar, was viable, indicating a devaluation is the only option. "The combination of a disorderly default and devaluation implies that creditors will ultimately be forced to write off at least 50% of the face value of their claims on the Argentine government," Fitch said. ============================= From: lombrenoire <•••@••.•••> [NOTE: The following is a report from the BBC, dated Thursday, 20 December, 2001, 01:37 GMT. It is posted for information purposes.] Argentina declares state of emergency Union members resorted to violence in Buenos Aires The Argentine Government has declared a state of emergency after violence erupted over the country's worsening economic crisis. Argentine President Fernando de la Rua will address the nation later on Wednesday to explain the move, the Associated Press news agency says. ["It is under control and I emphasise the peaceful nature of the Argentine people." -- President Fernando de la Rua] The emergency decree grants the Government special powers to quell looting and rioting and will last for 30 days. It will allow the authorities to bring troops and other security forces onto the streets. Public meetings are also banned. Four people were killed and dozens injured on Wednesday in clashes with police across the country, in the worst civil unrest in Argentina since 1989. Thousands of people took to the streets - many looting from stores - in protest at wage cuts, spiralling unemployment and strict government austerity measures aimed at coping with a massive public debt and four-year-long recession. Default risk The credit ratings agency Standard & Poor's has warned that Argentina could default on its $132bn sovereign debt as early as next month. "It is likely, though still not certain, that in the very short term, Argentina will miss a payment on their debt," said the agency's managing director of sovereign debt rating, John Chambers. "That would be outright default." A default would in effect cut off any lifeline from the International Monetary Fund and send Argentina spiralling even deeper into a chaotic economic crisis. The government has acted swiftly to try to take control of the situation, announcing it will start distributing free food. The Labour Minister, Jos=E9 Gabriel Dum=F3n, said the president had already authorised the distribution of $7m worth of food, and he called on Argentines to remain calm. Running battles Police clashed with rioters in the capital, Buenos Aires, and the provinces, as protests which began at the weekend escalated. [ ["I feel bad about it but we're dying of hunger." --Sonia Aristici, looter] Dozens of stores were ransacked in Buenos Aires and the northern Entre Rios province, while in the second-largest city, Cordoba, workers protesting at government plans to reduce wages set fire to the town hall. Looting of supermarkets was reported in at least half a dozen cities, including Rosario, north of Buenos Aires, and Mendoza in the west. In Santa Fe province, north of the capital, a 15-year-old boy was shot dead by an unidentified gunman. Elsewhere, a man was stabbed to death by a storeowner on the outskirts of the capital, and a man and a woman were shot dead by shopkeepers trying to protect their stores in the same area. President under pressure As the violence raged, the opposition-dominated Congress voted to repeal special powers granted to Economy Minister Domingo Cavallo earlier this year. Women fight to get food handouts Similar unrest marked the last financial crisis in Argentina in 1989, forcing the then president, Raul Alfonsin, to leave office early. There is now growing pressure on President de la Rua to do the same. On the streets, some supermarkets handed out food packages to prevent looting as thousands of people gathered outside shops, while police in riot gear - heavily outnumbered by protesres - stood guard. The violence also resulted in the cancellation of the second-leg final of the Copa Mercosur football competition between Argentina's San Lorenzo and Flamengo of Brazil. Deepening recession The social unrest has been provoked by a deepening economic crisis in Argentina. There has been a recession in Argentina for almost four years, and unemployment has risen to almost 20%. Mr de la Rua and Economy Minister Domingo Cavallo are desperately trying to avoid a devaluation or a default on Argentina's foreign debt payments. Earlier this month, the IMF refused Argentina a further $1.3bn in standby loans, unless it balanced its budget for the year 2002. Mr Cavallo has put forward budget proposals slashing government spending by 20% - but only by cutting public sector wages and reducing pension provisions. [end]
