ARGENTINA-FARMERS GAIN POWERFUL ALLIES.
The so-called Group of Seven, including the heads of the Stock Exchange, Argentine Rural Society, Confederaciones Rurales Argentinas, Argentine Chamber of Commerce, Industrial Union, the Construction Chamber and the Association of Argentine Private Banks (ADEBA), gathered and lunched yesterday at the latter’s headquarters. In a brief official statement, Adeba said the purpose of its meetings was "for the different sectors to exchange briefings on the current state of the economy." At yesterday’s meeting, it also welcomed Héctor Méndez as head of the Argentine Industrial Union.
So far for the record.
Off the record, however, the group allegedly discussed the growing concerns of businessmen about the role of the state in the economy.
At the root of their concern is the role of the state now taking seats at the boards of companies in which the defunct AFJP private pension funds had made considerable investments and got voting rights in return.
Banco Macro — whose chairman Jorge Brito doubles as ADEBA President — Grupo del Plata and Grupo Techint, probably Argentina’s largest technology conglomerate, are but two examples of boards now also including a state-appointed member.
Sources close to the meeting said other hot issues tabled included dubious state statistics, coercitive pressure on businessmen, obstacles to trade and the steep decline of economic activity.
Hosted by Adeba President Brito, the lunch gathered Adelbo Gabbi (Stock Exchange), Néstor Roulet (CRA), Eduardo Eurnekian (Argentine Chamber of Commerce), Carlos Wagner (Argentine Construction Chamber), Hugo Biolcati (Rural Society) and Héctor Méndez.
Yesterday afternoon, Argentine Rural Society (SRA) head Hugo Biolcati returned favours with former President, and Peronist Party head, Néstor Kirchner. On Tuesday, Kirchner once again lashed out at the SRA, saying it had supported José Alfredo Martínez de Hoz as economy minister during the last military dictatorship in the 70s: "He vilified us as having supported Martínez de Hoz, he called us oligarchs and all that — his speech is stuck in the 70s. Let’s put all that behind us," Biolcati asked.
The farming leader upped the stakes, however, asking Kirchner "to step down from the jetplane a little, quit the helicopter if it were. He should hop on a car and see the country by himself, grasping what’s happening, how farm production has plunged more than 30 percent across the board." He also questioned Kirchner’s use of aircraft from the presidential fleet: "I can’t figure out why he’s using those state-owned assets."
On Tuesday, the Liaison Committee grouping leaders of the four main farming organizations wrote to Kirchner requesting a meeting with the aim of "exposing our views," Biolcati said. "One doesn’t necessarily have to agree," he sentenced "but we must have dialogue."
Biolcati furthermore spared no criticism of Kirchner’s regular speeches in which the customarily hits out at farmers: "By saying we’re going through exceptional circumstances and have been supported by tax money is misleading fallacy," the farming leader stressed.
Also on Tuesday, the farming leaders met with the Unión-Pro opposition alliance grouping Buenos Aires City Mayor Mauricio Macri, Dissident Peronist deputies Francisco de Narváez and Felipe Solá and San Luis Governor Alberto Rodríguez Saá.
