Economy Minister Remis Lenicof resigned last night after five thousand potbanging demonstrators surrounded the Congess building for two days, trapping the Congress members inside the building for the first day of demonstrations. Demonstrators were protesting a new economic plan that would replace the money in their frozen savings and checking accounts with bonds that would ultimately be worth 20% of their initial value.
President Dualde is meeting with his cabinet today to discuss who will replace Lenicof, as well as alternatives to the current economic plan. Resignation has stalled further negotiations with the International Monetary Fund, and several cabinet ministers have called for a pause in negotations with the Fund, whose economic requirements include changes in bankcruptcy laws, cutbacks in provincial budgets which could result in severe job loss, and the removal of a national law which has enabled the prosecution of multinational companies who damage the national economy by removing funds or other assets from the country.
Demonstrations , food demands, and roadblocks continue throughout the country this week. In San Juan, unpaid state workers engaged in street battles with police which left eighteen wounded. Unemployed workers cut off roads in Santa Fe, in Mar del Plata 300 people blocked roads and demanded food , and in Chubut 200 unpaid teachers took over the Legislature building.