The streets in Buenos Aires and other Argentine cities have been filled with protesters in a “Cacerolazo” (pot-banging protest) against President Mauricio Macri's major hikes in utility prices. The hike includes a 700% rise in electricity prices, more than 2000% rise in gas prices in some places and a 350% rise in water prices.
Consumer protection associations and left-wing groups called the march against the hikes, which are “affecting people very seriously,” said Osvaldo Bassano, head of the Association for the Defense of Users and Consumers.
The streets in Buenos Aires and other Argentine cities have been filled with protesters in a “Cacerolazo” (pot-banging protest) against President Mauricio Macri's major hikes in utility prices. The hike includes a 700% rise in electricity prices, more than 2000% rise in gas prices in some places and a 350% rise in water prices.
Consumer protection associations and left-wing groups called the march against the hikes, which are “affecting people very seriously,” said Osvaldo Bassano, head of the Association for the Defense of Users and Consumers.
Some are demanding that the energy minister resign, reported TeleSUR correspondent Laereano Ponce.
The Supreme Court demanded on July 11 that Macri justify the “social and economic aspects” of the measure within the next 10 days. The government of La Plata, a province of Buenos Aires, decided on July 14 to suspend all bill rises. It said the Macri government failed to implement the required public audits before imposing the price hike in April.
A court in Lomas de Zamora, also in the province of Buenos Aires, suspended the increase in water bills for the prosecuting family, opening the doors for future precautionary measures against the hikes.
Macri justified his move on July 13 as needed to control the limited and expensive energy resources in Argentina. The hikes come on the back of major cuts in energy subsidies shortly after taking office last December.
Both chambers in Congress announced measures to supervise the government's controversial move. Senators approved a bill asking the government to suspend the rise in gas bills until the case brought to the Supreme Court was solved, while representatives called a special session over the matter.
[Reprinted from .]
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