Argentina's opposition parties unite to call for 'Food Emergency' amid growing protests
Lawmakers from various opposition parties have formally presented a request for a special session in the lower house to discuss the declaration of a "Food Emergency" in Argentina.
Politicians from across the opposition agreed Monday to unify their legislative drafts on the topic into a single bill, in a bid to ensure that House Speaker Emilio Monzó will move forward with an emergency session.
A Food Emergency declaration, the first since 2002, would increase federal nutrition assistance spending by 50% over already budgeted figures, from 16 billion pesos ($275 million) to 24 billion pesos ($412 million) and would remain in effect until the end of 2022.
The bill, co-sponsored by 15 center-left legislators, reportedly has majority support in both houses of Congress - but may be vetoed by President Mauricio Macri, who has expressed opposition to the measure.
Macri, who's seeking re-election despite job approval of 25%, lost the first round on August 11 to center-left candidate Alberto Fernández by 16% and may lose the second round by at least 20% according to recent polls; Fernández has pledged to sign the bill should he be elected.
Macrisis
The legislative push follows days of demonstrations by social activists and labor unions.
A protest camp organized six days ago in front of the Ministry of Health and Social Development was violently dispersed by police today, leading to several injured protesters.
Activists regrouped this evening, however, and will continue their protest camp.
Poverty has increased since Macri took office four years ago - rising from an estimated 27% in 2015 to a projected 40% this year.
Amid 54% inflation, the National University of Avellaneda (UNDAV) estimates that hunger now affects 10% of the population - up from 4.8% in 2017 and 6.7% last year.
The FAO had declared chronic hunger in Argentina "erradicated" in 2015.
Socioeconomic conditions have worsened since the April 2018 collapse of a carry-trade debt bubble known locally as the "financial bicycle," which forced Macri to turn to the IMF for a record, $57 billion bailout.
"If there's a state of siege they should let us know," activist Eduardo Belliboni, who was injured in today's incidents, said, "because it should be declared against those ferreting the money out of the country - not against those asking for a plate of food."
At: https://www.batimes.com.ar/news/argentina/opposition-unites-to-call-for-food-emergency-session-amid-more-protests.phtml
An injured protester is assisted during today's violent dispersal of a protest camp in front of the Social Development Ministry.
Congressional opposition parties have joined calls by social activists to declare a "food emergency" in Argentina - the first since financial deregulation policies similar to Macri's led to the country's 2002 collapse.
Macri has indicated he'll veto the legislation.
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