Social movements filled Av. 9 de Julio on Wednesday morning, cutting off the main transit artery of the City to protest “the grave situation caused by the stampede of prices, which sharpens the people’s hunger and misery.”
The protest, dubbed a “national working day of struggle,” was carried out in cities across the country, including Rosario, La Plata, La Rioja, San Salvador de Jujuy, San Juan and Trelew.
The demonstrations were announced by major working class organisations, including the Workers Confederation of the Popular Economy (CTEP), the Classist and Combative Current (CCC), and Somos-Barrios de Pie and the Darío Santillán Popular Front. (FPDS).
Other labour groups, such as the State Workers Association (ATE) called for the “immediate sanction of a food emergency” to combat hunger in the country.
The protest plans to march from Av. 9 de Julio to the building of the Ministry of Social Development. Social movements have issued several demands for “concrete and urgent measures,” in the economy, including the increase of the complementary social salary, meetings with the Salary Council, a 2 thousand peso bonus for informal workers and an increase in retirement pensions.
“While financial groups, the International Monetary Fund and the national government speculate about the price of the dollar and the market situation, the cost of living increases each minute and few families have access to basic nutritional needs,” union groups said in a press release.
As demonstrators took to the streets, the peso’s exchange rate with the dollar increased to 61 and the country risk index reached a record level of over 2140 points.
– PERFIL / TIMES
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