Cristina Kirchner versus the pots and pans

Julien — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 18:21:41 +0200

Bang your pan at Evita!

"I banged my pan at Evita [reference to Eva Peron - allusion to Cristina Kirchner] ...and it felt good!"

Argentinean farmers are objecting to president Cristina Kirchner over tax increases on agricultural exports and her apparent intention to create a rift between the poor and the farmers. After three weeks of severe strikes, which have left the country paralysed, the workers have agreed to start negotiations.

Argentinean farmers are going back to work. The pan banging, road blocks and food shortages are over. And within a month, crop produce will be back on the shelves, giving Kirchner enough time to show her goodwill in negotiations. There's a lot of pressure on the government. The past three weeks have left a country that boasts "the best meat in the world", without any meat at all, never mind fresh produce.

Heckles started in the "campo" (countryside) shortly after Kirchner's government announced a tax increase on the export of soy products - a measure hoped to help curb inflation created by the hike in the price of raw materials on the international market.

Many Argentineans are now branding Kirchner's politics as "populist" because she's pitting the working classes against the farmers, who are presented as privileged, in the dispute. The president is accused of playing on fears created by the food shortages. "You can't be with the people and cut off their food supply" she said when the protests began.