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American Task Force Argentina and Freedom House Host Capitol Hill Briefing with Argentine Pensioners on Erosion of Civil Liberties in Argentina |
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Growing Concern Over President Cristina Kirchner's Censorship and Intimidation Tactics |
| Washington, DC (January 31, 2013) – Congressional lawmakers, civil rights supporters and individual holdout bondholdersjoined American Task Force Argentina and Freedom House on Capitol Hill today to shed light on Argentina's human rights and economic situation, which experts warn is in decline."We discussed today President Kirchner's strategies to oppress individual rights and freedom of speech, and the incredibly complicated personal dimensionto this problem," said Robert Raben, Executive Director of American Task Force Argentina. "For twelve years, tens of thousands of individuals who are lenders to Argentina have been waiting for the government to make good on its promises, and abide by their end of the contract. Argentina is a flourishing, thriving country that has the capacity to repay; it's time to show the willingness."Freedom of the press is a major concern in Argentina. According to Freedom House, an organization dedicated to expansion of freedom around the world, Argentina ranks 20th out of 26 countries in Latin America and its rankings are in decline. The Argentine government routinely uses laws, licensing and regulatory pressure, antagonistic rhetoric and advertising expenditures to reward or punish independent media.
"The result of the government's disregard for freedom of the press is enormously consequential," said Viviana Giacaman, Director for Latin America programs at Freedom House. "The credibility of journalism is under question and the quality of journalism is declining. This results in more fear, polarization and self-censorship for the Argentine people." There were gasps in the room in response to a graph presented by Professor Joseph Kadane showing the drastic difference between the Argentine government's official reports on inflation statistics and the real rate of inflation in the country. According to Kadane, the official rate is near 10% whereas the unofficial rate is closer to 25 percent. Of even more concern is the treatment of statisticians in the country reporting accurate numbers of inflation. "Argentina has a history of very high inflation and the government is very sensitive to it. However, high inflation is a direct result of the government's policies – and they're trying to deny that's a fact. If I were in Argentina I would be subject to fines and the possibility of criminal sanctions for telling you the truth about it." Kadane said to briefing attendees. "While the IMF will proceed with how to deal with the misrepresentation of inflation statistics, further attention should be paid to the intimidation of statisticians reporting accurate inflation information." The issue of high inflation in Argentina, the government's attempts to repress independent inflation reports, and its failure to repay its outstanding debt are illustrative of the governments disregard for its citizens and unwillingness to abide by international standards. For more on the individual bondholders who are seeking recourse with the Argentine government, visit www.atfa.org. |
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About the American Task Force Argentina The American Task Force Argentina (ATFA) is an alliance of organizations united for a just and fair reconciliation of the Argentine government's 2001 debt default and subsequent restructuring. Our members work with lawmakers, the media, and other interested parties to encourage the United States government to vigorously pursue a negotiated settlement with the Argentine government in the interests of American stakeholders. |
