Political Tension: The Power of Meat

I've received news that the political tension between the Argentine government and the farming industries has reached the states, and I would like to elaborate on the dynamics of this crisis. To start, one most know that agriculture and agro-industry are of major importance to the Argentine economy. Meat, soy, and cereal are the three most important exports in the international market. For the farming industry it is more beneficial to export their produce and earn an international rate than to distribute in country. Just to get an idea of their currency's value the ratio of the Argentine peso to the US dollar is 3.1-1. As more produce was being sold in the international market the inflation rate for these products were increasing for the locals. In response the government raised the export tariffs above 20 percent to help control inflation by making international profit the same as inter-country profit.

As a result to the high export tariffs, workers and owners of farming industries have begun protesting. Their forms of protesting vary from passive protests such as silent marches in the streets of Buenos Aires and rallies in front of the La Casa Rosada: The Governor's House, to more serious forms such as blocking major highways to stop produce from entering into the city. As of now prices of meat are rising as availability is diminishing and many have suffered long waits in traffic jams caused by the road strikes. Subsequently long distance bus trips are being canceled across the country. These strikes have been on going since the beginning of the month and just this weekend the government and the farming industries have agreed to meet and discuss the issue at hand.

Although this appears to be an issue between an economic industry and the government, the people of Argentina are not sitting idle and are picketing and petitioning as well. Cacerolazos- the name given to the collective street demonstrations, which include the clanking of pots and pans that first occurred in December of 2001, which eventually brought down the presidency of Fernando de la Rua during the economic crisis of 2001- are ever present. The people who are participating in these cacerolazos are in strong support of the farming industries. A common chant is "Estoy con el campo" or "I'm with the farmers" can be heard over the clanking of metal cookware. In contrary, others are marching in the streets and waving flags to show their support for the government on this issue. The result of these protests are complex, and have stirred up lingering political unrest left over from the crisis of 2001, which has to do with the political mistrust many Argentines have towards the government of their country after falling victim to 15 years of continuous triple-digit inflation.

In summary, knowledge of Argentine history has helped me understand the many levels of the current political-tension, but still there is an air of uncertainty. Due to this uncertainty it would be unjust to form an honest opinion on this issue; making it important to keep myself in "the know" and listen to the opinions of the locals. Although stories and opinions may vary, all hope for a resolution this week to end the tension and bring the "carne" (meat) back to the city whose culture is dependent on it.