Popular Revolt in Argentina Demands Economic as Well as Political Change
Interview by Between The Lines' Scott Harris.
Argentina has gone from a nation in deep economic crisis to outright economic and political collapse over the past several weeks. After massive street protests and food riots resulted in the deaths of more than 30 people, President Fernando De la Rua resigned, an act repeated by several other unpopular politicians in line for office. Argentina's fifth president in two weeks is Eduardo Duhalde, a former vice president and governor of Buenos Aires province. He began the process of devaluing the peso, which for 11 years had been pegged directly to the value of the U.S. dollar.
In recent weeks, a coalition of groups under the banner of the National Front Against Poverty had organized the participation of 3.5 million struggling Argentines in a series of meetings that demanded alternatives to the neoliberal economic policies prescribed by the International Monetary fund and Washington, which many blame for the country's current crisis. Among the list of demands to fight poverty and unemployment was a call for an immediate end to repayment of Argentina's $155 billion foreign debt.
Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Beverly Keene, Coordinator of Dialogue 2000 in Buenos Aires, who examines the popular uprising demanding political change in the wake of Argentina's economic collapse(A RealAudioVersion of this interview may be found At
www.btlonline.org) .
For more information on issues of economic development, debt and policy alternatives visit the Jubilee movement's Web site at:
www.jubileesouth.net
To receive Between The Lines Weekly Summary and/or Q&A, email
btlsummary-subscribe (at) topica.com and/or
btlqa-subscribe (at) topica.com