Argentina's Macrisis: Buenos Aires police quashes produce giveaway

Police in Buenos Aires quashed a produce giveaway organized by local growers earlier today as a form of silent protest, leading to several injuries from rubber bullets and pepper spray.

Hundreds of people lined up this morning in Constitución Square, in Buenos Aires'
working-class southside, to receive a wide selection of free produce.

Produce giveaways, known in Argentina as verdurazos, are organized by independent growers from the orchard belt southeast of Buenos Aires led by the Union of Land Workers (UTT) as a protest against rising costs and taxes.

These have became recurring events since the right-wing Mauricio Macri administration took office in late 2015 - though today's incident marks the first time police have moved to quash a verdurazo.

Running scared

Election year politics may have motivated today's order.

Buenos Aires Mayor Horacio Rodríguez Larreta belongs to Macri's right-wing party, the PRO - and despite mostly friendly local news media coverage, both face uncertain re-election prospects amid the worst recession since 2002.

Real wages in Argentina have fallen by 17% since Macri was elected, as inflation has doubled to nearly 50%.

Family farms, too, have suffered amid declining sales, sharply higher input costs, and utility rate hikes which under Macri have averaged around 2500%.

Macri's decision in July to rescind the Social Agricultural Contribution (MSA), through which the roughly 10,000 family farms who grow 60% of the metro area's fruits and vegetables could access retirement and other benefits, have intensified discontent in the once thriving sector.

Recent data show that Argentina's recession, which began in May after a brief carry-trade debt bubble imploded, deepened during the final months of 2018, with GDP falling 7.5% as of November.

"In the face of crisis and hunger, we propose solidarity among workers and direct merchandise from the producer to the consumer at popular prices," UTT delegate Nahuel Levaggi said.

"The government proposes night sticks, tear gas, and rubber bullets."

At: https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&tab=wT&sl=auto&tl=en&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pagina12.com.ar%2F175194-con-la-represion-como-respuesta-a-la-necesidad

A senior citizen picks up spilled eggplants during today's police attack on a produce giveaway in Buenos Aires.

Known in Argentina as verdurazos, these giveaways are organized by independent produce growers as a protest against rising costs and have became a frequent sight since the right-wing Macri administration took office in 2015.