Argentina: Farmers’ Strike Continues

No Comments | June 19th, 2008 | Trackback

Some 2,000 demonstrators protested in front of the presidential residence outside Buenos Aires June 16 to demand that the government resume negotiations with striking farmers who have been blocking highways and restricting the flow of agricultural products periodically since March. In response, President Cristina Fernandez told thousands of supports in Buenos Aires June 18 that the farmers must end their strike, but the farmers vowed to continue for two more days and again requested negotiations. The blockades have emptied supermarket shelves of food, caused the price of beef to double and taken a toll on the tourism industry. Long-distance bus companies stopped selling tickets and tourism workers held counter-demonstrations against the farmers because they felt their jobs were at risk. Hundreds of roads remained blocked throughout the country.