News Center

Sowing trouble
Financial Times
July 14, 2008

By Jude Webber

Former Argentine President Nestor Kirchner's call for yet another rally in support of his wife's government on Tuesday timed to coincide with a march called by farmers -- looks increasingly like the act of a bully determined to crush his opponents. After four months of conflict, President Cristina Fernandez's export tariffs bill goes before the Senate on Wednesday after squeaking through the Chamber of Deputies. Senators have highlighted flaws in the small print of the proposed legislation, meaning the tariff rebates promised by the government might not in fact cut the rate payable by small farmers as much as promised.

The ruling Peronists say they are confident of winning the vote, in which case the bill will be swiftly signed into law (if they lose, it will return to the lower house for more debate). But Mr Kirchner's rally, in front of Congress media reports say government supporters have instructions to mount an all-night vigil looks either like desperation or a provocation that jars with the faith in democratic institutions the government repeatedly expresses.

Meanwhile, Ms Fernandez, who early in the dispute called soya, Argentina's chief cash crop, a "weed", appears to have learned no modesty. She now claims to know so much about farming that she could "give classes about cattle, wheat and soya".

In May, the biggest demonstration in a quarter of a century in support of farmers and in protest at the government's record on inflation and autocratic style upstaged a government rally on a key national holiday. The government should show it has learned to listen, and demonstrate the same respect for Congress' decisions which it demands from farm groups, instead of fanning the flames of a still unpredictable conflict.