Da: "Nello Margiotta" A: Oggetto: Fw: ARGENTINEANS PROTEST AHEAD OF GENERAL STRIKE Data: giovedě 13 dicembre 2001 14.11 Nello http://www.nandotimes.com/world/story/192935p-1871500c.html ARGENTINEANS PROTEST AHEAD OF GENERAL STRIKE Copyright © 2001 AP Online By TONY SMITH, Associated Press BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (December 12, 2001 3:35 p.m. EST) - With recession-plagued Argentina hours away from a general strike, angry shopkeepers and homeowners marched through Buenos Aires Wednesday, protesting the government's economic reforms with firecrackers, drumbeats and the rattle of pots and pans. Several protests sprang up around the city in a sign of growing discontent over how President Fernando de la Rua and Economy Minister Domingo Cavallo are handling the crisis that has brought South America's second-largest economy to its knees. In its fourth straight year of recession and struggling to make payments on $132 billion of debt, Argentina is on the brink of economic meltdown. Unemployment is rising, confidence has slumped and the government has partially frozen bank accounts to prop up the banking system. More marches were expected through the day Wednesday, ahead of a 24-hour national stoppage called for Thursday by public sector workers. Unions are demanding "free access for workers to their salaries." Under the government bank freeze, Argentines may only withdraw up to $1,000 cash a month - all other payments must be made by check, transfer or debit or credit cards. The first protests Wednesday started on the Diagonal Norte, a main avenue. A small but vocal group representing shopkeepers and small businesses marched to the Casa Rosada government house, banging drums, setting off firecrackers, waving Argentine flags and singing the national anthem. "This economic model is finished," said Vicente Lourenzo, vice president of a national association of small businesses, joining other snappily dressed protesters on the back of an old truck leading a caravan of vans, cars and taxis. "We need to rebuild the economy and adopt a floating currency to be competitive," he said. Argentina's peso currency has been fixed since 1991 at one-to-one parity with the dollar. That brought price stability but some say it has since helped make Argentina's economy unable to compete with other countries. As the caravan snaked down the avenue, it crossed with another drum-beating protest, about 100 homeowners protesting spiraling loan payments to a local bank. Despite the fiesta-like drumbeats, the mood was grim. "What is happening here is dangerous, not just for Argentina, but for all Latin America," said Graciela Hahn, 45, a former pastry shop owner from Buenos Aires province. She said her mortgage payments to Banco Hipotecario, a home loans bank, had increased in recent years from $300 to $980. "When I was working, I could afford to pay, but now, I had to close the store," she said. "I have no job, no shop, how can I pay? We still have to eat." Arriving at the bank's headquarters in the heart of Buenos Aires' financial district, the protesters found the metal doors locked shut. So they pasted posters saying "we've been cheated" on the walls and entertained passing crowds with drum music. The respected daily La Nacion reported Wednesday that the government was considering declaring Thursday's strike - called by all three of Argentina's main unions - illegal. The paper quoted government spokesman Juan Pablo Baylac as saying the strike was "part of a political campaign to undermine the credibility of the democratic system and respect for the institutions." But Julio Piumato, a leader of the General Confederation of Labor, or CGT, shot back. "It's stupid to declare the strike illegal," he told La Nacion. "What is illegal are the unconstitutional decrees that freeze the bank accounts and lower wages." "Of course they're right to strike," said Jose Diaz, 24, a lottery ticket seller on the Diagonal. "There's no jobs, no money, of course people are protesting." "Look at these," he said, holding up the six tickets he had sold Wednesday morning. "Even if you win, they won't pay you in cash, just in government bonds." The Revolution will not be televised: News at 11... grok Independent canadian marxist The U.S. ruling class: A godzilla monster that stalks the world, devouring everything. (apologies to Godzilla and friends)