We are sick of being treated as objects and not as human beings

Connie, Argentina

I live in Buenos Aires and the situation here is about to explode, the worst hasn't come yet (and we are already pretty bad). What everyone has seen on the news doesn't really show what the Argentinean people feel. It's not only "let's go and protest". People here are tired (including me) of corruption, done by our political class. We are sick of being treated as objects and not as human beings. People in my country are starving, children also. Our politicians are stealing everything from us, not only our money, but also our expectations, our future, our dreams and our pride. I'm only a 20 year old student, but I try to do the best of me to get my country out of this critical situation.
Connie, Argentina

I live here and I have had the opportunity to travel a lot around the world and around my country (I am a middle class, 27 years old guy). I have to work every day as almost all of you who are reading this, and what I can say is that we are just as civilized as Europe and USA or Japan or many other places. We are full of incredible good people and we have a very rich country - what I am trying to say is that we are just like you - the only difference is that the people that rule our country (politicians, judges, maybe church) are incredibly corrupt, but they are learning now what a social condemnation is like as they can not even walk in the streets without been insulted.

On the other side is the international money organizations drowning us, paying our corrupt politicians to keep doing bad things for our country (as they do on every Third world country). I only hope for our future and the future of many other countries that could end just like us, that we (the common people) push to make things right and start to grow without these international money organizations. We have enough wealth to do it when we overcome our own fears.
Maximiliano Stepffer, Argentina

The government of Argentina, my birth country kills my future again. I am actually studying in Savannah, Georgia, trying to obtain my degree. I am here because I saved the money for seven years of work. My dream was always to get a degree and a job to progress and help my family. Since December 3rd, when the government decided to freeze all my savings, I thought that I was going to die. I am living since two months ago with two hundred dollars and the great help of my friends that live in different states of America. I think that I have no future if I do no fight for my rights. I will keep my hopes up. I will not surrender. Nobody is going to kill my will and my hopes.
Federico Benencio, Savannah, Georgia-U.S.A

My family returned from our vacation in Buenos Aires on March 31st. We had a wonderful vacation but we felt the sadness in the people in Argentina. The peso changed from 2.8 to 3.9 for one dollar while we were there. People were always in line waiting to exchange their money. In the midst of all this we have met some of the kindest hosts we have ever encountered in our travels around the world. God help Argentina.
Teri, USA

This is the worst economic and political crisis ever. The corruption is in every institution of the nation and the provinces. Argentina is not living in a democracy, we're ruled by a corporation which has no ethic.
Marcelo Gallo, Argentina

I would not choose another country to live in

Elsa, Argentina

I was born and still live in Argentina and I have travelled a lot but in spite of our difficulties I would not choose another country to live in.
Elsa, Argentina

The Argentine crisis will be solved by Argentineans. The IMF policy has done nothing else than getting us closer and faster to this disaster. I do not personally oppose to the help from the outside, but in any case I think that sovereignty has to be defended. Yes, the solution starts with us, radically changing the quality of leaders we have, respecting our institutions more than ever, and taking the decisions that are better for us.
Andres, Argentina

I think what the UK government should do at this time is give Argentina vast sums of development aid, with the condition attached that they completely drop their claim to the Falkland Islands, but other than that, completely free of obligation. And also, if they ever reinstate their claim in the future after accepting the aid, they should be made to pay back the money at 20 times what we originally paid them, inflation adjusted, and currency fluctuation adjusted as well. Then we might just be able to have an end to the Falklands debate.
Jean Blake, UK

In a country where once one could buy any European or North American product for a price, not even Tylenol can be found on pharmacy shelves anymore

EB, Argentina

As an expat living in Argentina, I've seen this country change dramatically over the last year. Unemployment has soared. There is no confidence in the government or in the banking system. In a country where once one could buy any European or North American product for a price, not even Tylenol can be found on pharmacy shelves anymore, the price of typical cereal had tripled, and even people with off-shore accounts can't access them. I've seen store after store closing, mom and pop shops as well as international fashion chains. Crime has increased exponentially as have the number of poor begging in the streets. Most of the foreigners have left this country as there is no work to be done and it's suffering from a brain drain as the educated youth line up in front of consulates hoping to escape. We suffer from fear here, fear of the future, of what will happen and of what is happening.
EB, Argentina

Ultra free market policies in a country with an inoperative justice system will inevitably lead to widespread corruption. Large businessmen have run the country for over a decade with the sole intention of maintaining the Peso pegged to the US Dollar at a high exchange rate. The paradox is that while they proclaimed their love for free market they used the State to guarantee both their privileges and an exchange rate insurance to guarantee their profits in hard currency. Almost every relevant market in the country has ended up in very few hands and the power of the State has almost vanished. During and after the important capital inflow at the beginning of the 90's the State has provided financing to this perverse system through huge indebtedness. This could not be ignored by international financial organizations that until 1998 presented Argentina as an example of the good results obtained by free market policies. The bubble has finally exploded.
Adolfo, Argentina

I've just been speaking to a friend who runs a small IT company with a customer in Buenos Aires - today he received a small parcel, delivered by courier. It contained just over $30,000 US, in bills of various denominations. This was the only way that his customer could pay their account, given that cheques are not honoured, and electronic transfers are also apparently not working. Goodness knows how the customer got hold of the cash!
John, England

I think that we got what we deserved after 50 years of political corruption

Javier, Argentina

I think that we got what we deserved after 50 years of political corruption. No matter how bad the situation will become, politicians will keep stealing, tomorrow and forever.
Javier, Argentina

The causes of the present crisis are three. First, a huge external debt impossible to be paid back. Second, politicians who are both corrupt and incompetent. Three, Argentina is too far away: it's not Mexico with Big Brother just next to it; it doesn't have a geostrategic position like Turkey, it doesn't have nuclear missiles like Russia, etc. So, no one really cares.
Matias, Switzerland

Even though I descend from the Italians and I love them, I am positive about the fact that Argentina is such a corrupt country because of its Italian ancestors. They went there to escape their poverty and, unfortunately, didn't care to teach their descendants how to take care of the country in a non corrupt way.
Dolores, Argentina

The many wrong and political measures applied in Argentina have hit hard to all social classes in Argentina. It's all consequence of the many bad government administrations that have been in power a long the last past century. The middle class -something of what we Argentineans used to feel proud of in the whole context of Latin America - is now disappearing. This middle class, mainly composed by workers are losing their purchasing power; the recent devaluation policy has increased the price of main and basic products it has also brought the devaluation of salaries.
Sebastian Chirino, Argentina

I would rather not pay back any debt if the cost is to let my people starve, die due to lack of health care, and force the country's educated younger generation to leave the country

Fedra Metaxa, Greece

The explosive mix of international bankers' greed, who lent money to any government who asked for it, and of local corrupted and useless politicians brought this once great country to the present hopeless situation. I would rather not pay back any debt if the cost is to let my people starve, die due to lack of health care, and force the country's educated younger generation to leave the country. We have already paid back more than what we get and, anyway, I do not think we could be worse off.
Fedra Metaxa, Greece

Yes the Argentinean crisis affected me as all Argentineans. I'm studying architecture and last year I was working but now I have lost my job. Next year I will be finishing my studies, and what then? I don't know what's going to happen... I see all the young man of my country leaving this land to find their future in Europe. But I love this land, it's impossible for me to leave my country, despite the fact that my family are in Italy.
Alejandro Segarra, Olivos, Argentina

People are dying and are going to die because of lack of treatment for common illnesses: asthma, heart attacks, malnutrition, etc. We owe that to corruption.
e Helena, Argentina

What happened to Argentina (and Indonesia, and Russia, and Mexico) has nothing to do with free market economics. It has everything to do with those who claim to be free marketeers, then turn around and get breaks and cash from government. God help us if the powers that be are just doing this to make state socialism (or Peronism, or Fascism) acceptable once again. They'll keep winning and we all will keep losing; the villains will only have changed hats.
Paul Connor, Canada

In Argentina there are still manners, and human kindness

Lorena, Argentina (ex-UK resident)

I am back after 12 months of living in London. In Argentina I still can expect my degree to be acknowledged. I studied without paying a cent (check how many people access university in England and at what price). Argentina is a place where you can raise a family. You can not imagine how violent children in London are! In Argentina there are still manners, and human kindness. Of course the political class is to be dealt with, judged and dismissed (those who are not capable -maybe all), but the power of reminding them what their responsibility toward us is still is in our hands.
Lorena, Argentina (ex-UK resident)

If the government of Argentina had tried to raise what they needed as taxes instead of borrowing from other nations, they'd have been kicked out long ago. So our officials have kept Argentina corrupt and now it's cost us dear. We need to be holding our own politicians to account for: this debacle, and the Dome and the European Parliament, etc. Public officials with budgets should be responsible for proving they are getting value for our money, instead of hiding the paperwork and pocketing the cash as happened with the Dome and in Argentina.
Brad, UK

My experience with what is happening in Argentina is that they did not learn their lesson from other Latin American countries

Osamah Alhaidry, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

My experience with what is happening in Argentina is that they did not learn their lesson from other Latin American countries. Take for example what happened in Mexico in 1994-95, the economy almost collapsed, due to corruption of politicians, who only wanted to enrich themselves, and their cronies.
Osamah Alhaidry, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

If a country is going bust it's worth casting an eye over its tax revenues. Shock horror, just as in the Russian crisis, no one has been paying their income tax. It's all very well blaming the IMF, the banking system, the government and civil service, but when will the population take responsibility for their part in this mess? The economy is corrupt from top to bottom. How can they expect any sane lender to extend credit to them?
Alastair Alexander, UK

I live in Cordoba, Argentine, and things are not looking good. The word in the streets is that the banks may never open. Please pray for Argentina
Nicholas Stine, USA

I went to Argentina just over a year ago and it was very clear to me that there was something wrong. I did not see any peso, only dollars; there was a huge gap between the haves and have not's and it was a lot more expensive than London or New York. All bubbles have to burst in the end and the IMF is there to help countries in a time of need, not make the rich and the government richer.
Guy, London, UK

People are dying because there is no food

Estefania Fondovila, Buenos Aires, Argentina

It has been really hard over the last couple of months and it's made even harder when you see your country in a state of total collapse. Argentina is a rich country geographically, not only because of its beauty but due to its people. Now everything seems to have disappeared. Small and big businesses are collapsing, young people cannot study, and even more shocking - people are dying because there is no food. I just want you to know that I love my country and I am never going to lose my faith in Argentina. We will overcome these set of circumstances. But many rights are not being taken into account. In Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it says that everybody has the right to live in freedom and to have security. That is all we ask.
Estefania Fondovila, Buenos Aires, Argentina

One of my fellow citizens wrote that our country is "a nation of liars, cheats, bullies and thieves", and finds in this situation the main reason for our problems. I respect his opinion but it seems to me that he incurs in a strong ingenuity. First of all, Argentina is not a nation. As some people may know, we argentines are a bizarre mix of many different cultures (maybe too many, most of them Europeans), with natives. There is not a typical Argentinean yet and therefore there is no nation. Therefore, we should be able to synthesize the goods and the bads to create an honourable society. In my country there are, as well, millions of honest, well educated workers and professionals that have been highly productive for decades. In fact, in every country there are liars, cheats, bullies and thieves, even among the most elevated personalities.
Guillermo Gimenez Milan, Argentina

All our problems effectively started as far back as 1930 with the "radical" revolution. World War II was a respite and at the end we were very rich compared to Europe. Then came Peron who squandered it all. After that came the military who borrowed heavily, paying double the value for arms from the UK, the USA, France and others. This is the basis of our current debt. All governments since the military were thrown out by Maggie Thatcher have been crooks and stealing is a way of life. Any Argentine who does not steal is mad at those who do until he gets a chance at it himself. We are a nation of liars, cheats, bullies and thieves. We deserve what we get.
Juan Casador, Argentina

The youth are all looking to leave as they are unemployed and have no future

Paul, USA

I have a large family in Argentina. They were all middle class until a few months ago. Those that teach at University do not receive salaries from the Government. Those that had small businesses are totally bankrupt having lost all their business assets, having accepted tens of thousands of dollars of bounced checks, having no access to their money in the bank and no liquidity to sell their personal assets. The youth are all looking to leave as they are unemployed and have no future. The World Bank and IMF is obligated do a fact finding mission to discover how this happened and where all the money went.
Paul, USA

I am a native Argentinean, born in '48, left for the US in 1984, age 35. I have vivid memories of all our disastrous governments. Historically, Argentina was at its best during the cattle baron days when oligarchy reigned. Though I am not of that oligarchy, I believe something similar might be practical. A few big successful landowners manage the country, while the military police the people. It does sound horrible. Still it is better than the mobsters that run and have ran the country in the last two decades.
Pat Flynn, USA

It is going to take time in Argentina to get to the point where they can look at themselves and accept their own responsibility

Nora Femenia, USA

It is going to take time in Argentina to get to the point where they can look at themselves and accept their own responsibility. Where did they think their easy dollars in this decade where coming from? Never looking at diminishing factories, minute national production, lots of imported goods...the illusion of living in America without having to obey rules or pay taxes was very tempting. As a junkie when the drug is gone, Argentina finds itself amidst the ruins of the peronist party of the "pizza and champagne" style. There were few people who declared that such party was a noxious one, because the external debt was growing; but nobody paid attention and all continued partying. The bills are now presented, and someone has to pay.
Nora Femenia, USA

Until the international community creates a system of deterrence for those individuals taking on leadership positions in the name of democracy, and holding them responsible for their corrupt and self-gaining actions at the expense of the people, the suffering of those the bottom of the pool will continue.
Tom, Argentina

The root of the problem seems to be the eternal Argentine attitude of "I'm all right Jack and too bad for whoever comes after". Whilst the country was being robbed blind in the Menem government, people still had readies in their pocket and therefore didn't worry the slightest bit what was going on. Now that the curtain has finally come down they are having to face reality in the end. I don't know what the solution is, or who there is to make things work now. The Argentine situation as it is today is the fault of the people with short morals, short memories, and a vast aptitude for howling when things get rough
Susan, Argentina

Has the situation affected me? The only effect I've noticed is that Argentine wine is now cheaper at my local market.
John Jackson, USA

The "free market" system is killing people

Paul Davies, Argentina

I teach theology in Argentina and have a lot contact with ordinary people. There are many sick folk who cannot get medicines that they need to stay alive. This includes people with heart problems and HIV/AIDS. Last week we were told of how the Mayor of San Fernando (a municipality of Buenos Aires) told social workers to be ready to see children with chest complaints die for lack of medicines. The biggest problems are not whether people can money out for the bank machines (which we can't by the way) but that the poorest and most vulnerable will die because of corrupt government and hard-hearted IMF officials. The "free market" system is killing people.
Paul Davies, Argentina

Unfortunately, Argentina is under the domain of corrupt politicians and businessmen who only think about themselves, not the people. How can it be that Alfonsin (who had to leave his government a few months before it ended) is now again linked to the government? How can it be that we always have to vote the same people? And worst, how can it be that the alternative are those corrupt business men that present a plan to save themselves? We have a black future ahead...
Ed, Argentina

The situation is worse than it was last time

Esteban Bogani, Argentina

The situation is worse than it was last time. Before the economic recession began nothing seemed to indicate that things could change in a short time. Personally I have been not affected by current bank systems crisis. I am not a saver. However, the crisis of the bank system is only part of the issue. The national currency (peso) was devaluated and this situation affected a lot of Argentinean, in special workers, who get their salary in pesos. Now, they are watching how the inflation is destroying them.
Esteban Bogani, Argentina

Argentina should default. The country has enough people and resources to do this and some other countries should follow their example.
Joe, USA/Canada

The current situation of Argentine is the result of an ambitious and corrupted government administration. Furthermore, the country was affected by the recent world economy slowdown which is impacting all of the Latin America. The solution for most of the Latin-American countries is to develop some specific industry or service that suits better the region and make it grow by private and government initiative so that no dependency on the IMF is required.
Octavio Bustamante, Mexico

I did not take enough cash out of my bank last week and my funds are now bone dry as I cannot access my money out of the machine. I am just hoping my family have not done the same thing.
Neil Slack, English living in Argentina

There are two cash machines in the town, and neither of them has money in it

Saul Philpott, Argentina (UK Resident)

I am currently in Calafate, in the southern part of Argentina with some friends. It is a small place whose nearest large town is Rio Gallegos about 300km away. There are two cash machines in the town, and neither of them has money in it. The only bank is closed indefinitely, and therefore there is no way of taking money out. We have changed our dollars, and assumed that a credit card would suffice for somehow getting more money while we are here but there is no way to get any money at all!
Saul Philpott, Argentina (UK Resident)

Argentina shows that the capitalist system for the developing world simply does not work. Even the IMF has published reports that the countries in which poverty has been most greatly reduced are China, Cuba and Vietnam. Argentina is an extreme example of the capitalist state. People don't have the money which they earned. But the political and financial elite are OK, as are the banks, which secretely taken their money out ahead of the current crisis.
Vish, UK

The IMF are an easy target but the problem is that a lot of Argentineans will not recognise that of their problems come from the endemic corruption in the federal and state civil services. I have met a number of people who blame the USA, IMF and the EU for holding back Argentina. Also Carlos Menem and his cronies enriched themselves at the peoples cost during his time in power. Really the IMF should have stopped lending to Argentina ages ago but didn't so part of the blame does lie with them. In my mind the only way incidents like this can be stopped is by lenders insisting that political change as well as economic change be carried out before money is lent. The real victims are the mass of Argentines who have trusted their government not to rip them off as has happened before, but yet again they are the ones holding the can. From a personal note, I can say that considering what happened in Argentina during the Christmas period I am glad that my Mother in law was with me and my wife and most of my family over there were in the provinces which were less effected by the riots and violence
Charles, London UK

I spent two years in Argentina in the early nineties and I am not at all surprised with events of late. Friends have complained to me for years that the economic elite is sucking dry the country and the government is fully in the hands of this small group. In effect, Argentina has turned the clock back 100 years, where the landowners control everything and the people have nothing. And now they cannot even get at their money. It's a disgrace and a tragedy.
Victor D., Amsterdam, the Netherlands

The Argentinean people have suffered too long under a political regime where the politicians and the military have benefited by robbing the state purse. Just look how Menem has benefited financially from being president. I was in Buenos Aires over Christmas and it was evident from the number of security vans heading to the airport that big institutions and banks were taking US-Dollars out of the country to protect their own assets
Dave, Ireland

My opinion is that developing countries should not trust organisations such as the IMF

Joe, England

I'm not surprised to notice once more that wherever the IMF has interfered, by providing loans to countries, they fail as they almost always advise austerity measures, tax rises and strict cuts in social welfare programmes, which have a serious impact on the average citizen, not the government. So, my opinion is that developing countries should not trust organisations such as the IMF.
Joe, England

Strange isn't it that the members of the Argentine government do not seem to be suffering under the hardships it has imposed. I wonder why?
Stephen, England

You cannot spend more than you earn forever

Dave, San Diego, USA

"Austerity" is indeed the only right thing for Argentina now. You cannot spend more than you earn forever. The "capitalists" sitting in their offices have managed to send 140 billion USD in low or no cost loans to a high-risk borrower with little hope of return. All previous governments have done was to use this money to artificially prolong prosperity that wasn't really there. "Giving" more money is like giving alcohol to an alcoholic... the party goes on and the problem never gets addressed. Argentina must balance its check book, broaden the base of its economy to much more than agriculture, and avoid the easy answer "strong man" solutions. They might wish to consider a gold standard for currency. In 10 years, they could be a shining example of national resolve, or just another permanent beggar at the door of responsible countries. This would be a great shame, because Argentina has the capacity for greatness.
Dave, San Diego, USA

For me, the only solution in this moment is privatise the administration of the economic ministry. With an international team of specialists who bring the necessary confidence to the Argentinean people to leave savings in the banks. We don't want more corrupt politics and we don't have a serious option to vote for.
Maximiliano Garcia, Argentine

I wonder if Kyle Markley would be kind enough to explain his comment? Also, given that this is the system upon which most of the banking systems of the world are based, does he see this as a fundamental weakness of the global banking system and therefore something that will affect us all? If so, what would he suggest as an alternative?
Gwyn Rhodes, UK

The real villain here is the system of fractional reserve banking.
Kyle Markley, United States

Is the Argentine crisis a precursor of what is to happen in the western economies? It is clear the banks are unable to guarantee the depositors credit. But there are winners as well as losers. Can the systems be put in place to ensure that the pain is spread evenly and fairly?
Joe Corcoran, UK