ARGeNTINA

1. ARGeNTINA SOCIAL PROTEST Arianne Flintoff——Amanda Youssif——Ashley Gallo——Craig Combs Courtney Paszkiewicz ——Kelly Lloyd——Madeline McCowan

2. Agenda • Timeline • Political Problems & Policies • Why There is Social Protest • Human Rights Violations • The Process • 5. The Piqueteros • Who are they • Their Movement • Other Protests • 6. Piqueteros & the Media • 7. Statistics/Summary

3. Timeline • 1993-94: • economy soars, annual growth rate above 5.5 percent • inflation subsides • 1996-98: • Argentina's debt burden is growing • 1999: • Fernando de la Rua inherits elected President, inherits 114 billion-dollar debt • A Recession hits Argentina

4. Timeline • 2000: • Strikes and fuel tax protests • The International Monetary Fund grants Argentina an aid package of nearly 40 billion dollars. Argentina's debt reaching 50 percent of GDP • The IMF approves an emergency rescue package that includes $14 billion in IMF loans plus $6 billion more from other official lenders • Riots ensue, forcing de la Rua to resign.

5. Timeline • 2001: • Return of the Peronists • The opposition Peronists take control of both houses of parliament in Congressional elections. • ECONOMIC COLLAPSE Unemployed protesters took to the streets of Buenos Aires • President Fernando de la Rua resigns after at least 25 people die in street protests and rioting.

6. Why There is Social Protest • Economic Problems • Menem’s neo-liberal economic reforms – those that weren’t laid off had wages and living/working conditions significantly lowered • Depression of 2001 – when the government could no longer peg the peso to the dollar, living conditions of Argentina’s poor grew even worse • Human Rights Violations • The horrifying human rights violations and disappearances of the 1980s, and the lack of proper trials for many of the military offenders leave many Argentineans bitter towards the government. • Unstable Government • Many presidents overthrown in the last two decades, military rule on and off • Under Menem social spending was cut significantly, which lowers the living standard of many Argentine poor.

7. Why There is Social Protest • Menem left the government in instability • Unemployment reached new levels • Poor held political alliance with Peronist parties and labor unions

8. Human Rights Violations • Human rights violations in 1970s created wave of social protest • Montoneros surfaced around time of military coup that overthrew Isabel Peron • Started with the kidnap and murder of ex-President General Aramburu • Represented Peronista violence • Justified their actions on executions of Peronists, Claimed to be Peronists • Made up of Catholics, Military Families, Youth • In Peron’s exile, encouraged Montenero violence

9. The Process • Process of National Reorganization • The Disappeared • “No Death” • Massive amounts of people disappeared between 1976-1978 • Four movements in focus: abduction, tortue, arrest, and execution • Abductions happened at night when families were sleeping • Mothers of la Plaza de Mayo • Ended in 1981 when civilian government returned

10. Who Are The Piqueteros? • Piquetero: A member of a social movement originally started by unemployed workers in Argentina in 1996. • 70 percent, are actually known as piqueteras, because they are women • The word piquetero comes from the Spanish word piquete (picket, and means a standing blockade or demonstration of protest in a significant spot)

11. Who Are The Piqueteros? • Appeared in June 1996 in two main towns Cutral Co. and Plaza Huincul • These demonstrations mobilized thousands in protest against job cuts and plant shutdowns • Laid off by the Oil Company YPF • The citizens of Cutral-Co depended almost entirely on the jobs provided by the single local company • Unemployed workers in Argentina • Erupted in 2001 causing the resignation of President Fernando. • Over 100,000 highly organized groups shut down over 300 highways.

12. Who Are The Piqueteros? • During this protest five piqueteros were killed and over 3,000 arrested by federal police in violent clashes. • At the same time the organized unemployed were able to press for and secure thousands of minimum wage temporary jobs from the state, food allowances and other concessions. • Privatization led to the closure of work sites and massive labor force expulsion, while the state and federal government failed to comply with promises to finance alternative employment. • This was all largely because of budget cuts to meet IMF fiscal requirements.

13. How The Movement Spread • During the end of the 1990's, the Argentine economy lost competitiveness and exports markets becuase of their over-valued exchange rate • Because of this, many former state companies were sold to private corporations, and many Argentines lost their jobs • The piquetero form of protest, blocking roads, soon spread to other impoverished towns. • In 1997 there were 23 roadblocks in the Buenos Aires Province, and a total of 77 in the country

14. How The Movement Spread • Formed Movimientos de Trabajadores Descocupados, • >also known as the Unemployed Workers Movement of MTD • Protests began to take a more organized and larger form • >blockades of important streets in cities • >bridges • >access to economically critical spots: • >major stores and supermarkets • Sometimes government buildings were blocked and occupied by force

15. Other Movements • The MTDs began involving themselves in co-operatives for a myriad of purposes, • >barter markets for goods and services • >small-scale food production • >sewing workshops • >food-ration distributing facilities • A number of piqueteros now participate, support, or have ties with the recovered factory movement (for example in the former ceramic tile factory Zanon, now FaSinPat).

16. Movement Disagreements • Many middle class and right-wing party members disagreed with the movement • The arguments against the movement were: • >the blockades violate other people's right to move freely • >some of the so-called 'violent' attitudes are perceived as threat to passers-by and police • Most do agree there is the need to proved relief for the poor and unemployed • Many people have been wounded and property has been damages because of the protests, however, most end without violence • What they want: • The MTD has specifically called for direct democracy, assemblies, collectives, humanity, differences

17. Media’s Role • Modernizing Alternative Media • Grupo Alavio- an alternative media group supporting piqueteros • Developed a Declaration to combat corporate media’s censorship and misinformation

18. Television • New and powerful media alternative • Started by Enrique Carigua and Ricardo Leguizamon • Became popular after September 25, 2003 with help of Grupo Alavio

19. Programming • More than just the blockade • Showed sense of community and the misconceptions of the piqueteros displayed on corporate media (many are mothers and fathers instead of just the criminals shown) • Went beyond just the point of view from the piqueteros but also the middle class • Voices heard on TV-piquetero included those who opposed them as well • It wasn’t one sided but about the WHOLE community

20. Goals • TV was not just about the movement but also the integration of local, national, and even international problems • Overall, they wanted to become multidirectional as opposed to the typical media • Uncover truth and help reform Argentina by getting the people more involved (including getting involved with the piquetero movement)

21. Statistics • Argentina owed $160 billion by 2004 • 2006 - Argentina repays its multi-billion-dollar debt to the IMF. • The number of total organized roadblocks in Argentina from 1997-2002 in Buenos Aires was 2,143 (29%) • Federal Capital there were 1,262 (15%) • In the five years of protests 7,135 roadblocks occurred in all of Argentina

22. Statistics • May 2002, 21.5% of the workforce unemployed. • A national record high level of unemployment was recorded in October 2002, when 54.3% of the population of Buenos Aires was living below the poverty level • 24.7% in poverty so extreme that they could no longer afford food • Overtime, unemployment for the nation was over 50%

23. Summary • First Piquetero Movement: June 20, 1996 • Economic Stability is now in place • Kirchner paying back debt • Movement started because of unemployment, poverty, and injustice

24. ANY QUESTIONS?