Protesters in Argentina want to break ties with IMF

Argentina’s President Alberto Fernandez has called for unity as protesters in the capital, Buenos Aires, on Saturday marched to the gates of the presidential palace, lambasting his government over soaring inflation and crushing national debt.

According to Al Jazeera, the centre-left president is facing a rising challenge from a militant left wing of the ruling coalition that wants more state spending to ease high poverty levels and inflation. Two key moderate allies have left his cabinet in the last month.

The South American country, a major producer of soy and corn, is grappling with inflation running at more than 60 percent, huge pressure on the peso currency and spiking gas import costs that are draining already weak foreign currency reserves.

In a speech to mark the anniversary of Argentina’s declaration of independence, Fernandez said: “History teaches us that it’s a value we must preserve in the toughest moments”, he said. “We must walk the path towards fiscal balance and stabilise the currency.”

Argentina, which has cycled through economic crises for decades, struck a $44bn debt deal with the International Monetary Fund earlier this year to replace a failed 2018 programme. Many blame the IMF for tighter economic policies.

In the streets of Buenos Aires, thousands of protesters marched on Saturday afternoon with banners saying “breakaway from the IMF” and “Out, Fund, out”. Parts of the government, including powerful Vice President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, have called for more spending to alleviate the effect of COVID-19 and of the war in Ukraine. 

“There is a monumental crisis within our country,” said Juan Carlos Giordano, a socialist lawmaker who joined the march. “Argentina is a capitalist semi-colony in the chains of the IMF. Today we are here to say we need a second independence. Argentina must break its ties with the IMF which is the Spanish Empire of the 21st century.”

Fernandez’s government was thrown into turmoil a week ago with the abrupt resignation of moderate Economy Minister Martin Guzman, a close ally to the president who had spearheaded talks with the IMF. He was replaced by economist Silvina Batakis. Batakis, seen as closer to the left wing of the ruling coalition than Guzman, spoke with the IMF on Friday and has pledged economic stability despite concerns over a populist policy shift that has dragged down bonds and rattled the peso.

“The resignation of the economy minister showed there is an economic and financial collapse that is affecting the lives of workers, of the whole the population,” said Workers’ Party member Marcelo Ramal. “We must consider that this year we’ll have around 80 percent – 90 percent inflation with wages that aren’t rising as fast.”