Argentina: Up Against the Wall
37-minutes, 2002
Ref: 006tvc

In the early 20th Century, Argentina was long considered a land of milk and honey. Plentiful were their supplies of both wheat and livestock. Today's economic climate reflects a different story leaving 14 million Argentines, 40 per cent of it's population, now living below the breadline. Understandably this present situation, far from the wealthy environment previously held, has left Argentines confused and bewildered as to how this came to be. Irrational public spending, brazen political and judicial corruption and speedy and ruthless privatization of public companies are several causes held to account for the country's economic crisis. Argentina's industry destroyed as a result of a currency tied to the dollar which favoured imports resulting in thousands of job losses, was to be the final blow. Now the Argentines, both stunned and afraid to find themselves on the verge of ruin and hunger, have had enough. Every day they are out in the streets clanging pots and pans and calling unanimously for every single politician to resign. The people are fed up with a crisis that has been dragging on for years without anyone lifting a finger to end it. The recession has left millions of workers jobless, destroyed thousands of companies, impoverished the middle class, and left the poor out in the cold. Almost everyone has taken a step down the social ladder. Within this report we team interviewed some of the people affected by the crisis. Biochemist Mirta Deliveau, former Assistant Head of a hospital lab was laid off, leaving her to earn a living by selling home baked products. Claudio Bajraj, an advertising producer, is only able to feed his family thanks to a Barter club where he exchanges old clothes and jewellery for food. Guillermo Hidalgo, owner of a car repair shop, has no work and has to live in the attic over his garage. Such people, yesterday's middle-class, today's poor, are among the throngs of people clattering pots and pans in protest against Argentine politicians. Unfortunately, the Argentine State is also bankrupt. Reliance upon necessities such as medical supplies for hospitals and insulin for diabetics cannot be guaranteed.