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Brazil & Southern Cone - April 2013 (ISSN 1741-4431)

ARGENTINA: The listening government?

Inflation, authoritarianism, violence, and corruption: all provided the motivation for the tens of thousands of Argentines that took to the streets around the country on 18 April to protest against the government. The planning minister, Julio de Vido, responded to the demonstrations by saying that “workers, pensioners and the retired are spending money in the local economy, they are not banging pots and pans over here so they can go to Miami.” “Miami” is invariably invoked by government ministers looking for a shorthand for the middle-classes’ frivolous self-interest. However, President Cristina Fernández tweeted in a more measured manner that she respected the right of people to protest, “so long as they worked towards building a better Argentina”. With signs that the opposition is attempting to harness widespread dissatisfaction ahead of the legislative elections in October, the government is increasingly unwilling to write off large swathes of the electorate.

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