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12 April, 2002Following an on-the-spot assessment of what led to the unprecedented crisis in Argentina and its further development, the IMF delegation responds with clear demands.
ARGENTINA: The participants of the April 8-10 IMF mission to Argentina have issued a statement in which they express their total solidarity and support with the IMF's Argentinean affiliates (Aoma, Asimra, Smata and Uom) in the extreme crisis situation which has hit Argentina and its people.
This situation, they said, clearly had a global dimension and necessitated a response of the same nature.
The delegation denounced the structural adjustment policies of the International Monetary Fund, which had resulted in destroying the country's productive apparatus, increasing poverty and creating an explosive social situation. Following talks held with the country's different political, economic, social and trade union players, the IMF mission put forth a number of demands, which include:
- implementing - with active trade union participation - development and investment policies to reactivate industrial activity and generate decent employment;
- applying basic human rights-directed policies related to housing, health, education, employment;
- consolidating Mercosur;
- adopting measures to prevent the burden of foreign debt being borne by the Argentinean people.