Scarcity of Goods Sows Frustration Among Argentines

BUENOS AIRES — At the height of rush hour, Luis Ibanez parked his taxi in the middle of the busiest intersection of this city, got out of the car and stood cross-armed in the street as traffic jammed around him.

Dozens of other cabdrivers joined him Friday, protesting a national shortage of compressed natural gas — the primary fuel for the vast majority of taxis here. As winter approached in the Southern Hemisphere, the Argentine government cut natural gas supplies to service stations and industrial users last week. It was a temporary measure to ensure that there would be sufficient fuel available to heat Argentine homes over the weekend.


Falling temperatures have exposed weak points in an Argentine economy that boasts 9 percent annual growth, lowered unemployment and rising salaries. In addition to the shortage of natural gas, Argentina recently has faced shortages of some agricultural goods, including milk and other dairy products. Now, many economists — and a growing number of people in the streets — are questioning the inflation-control policies of President Nestor Kirchner.

“How can a government not be prepared for the cold?” asked Ibanez, while city buses and commuter vehicles idled around him. “They never prepare for anything, they don’t invest in the country, and the people need to know that there are consequences.”

Washington Post