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New strike by Argentine farmers | New strike by Argentine farmers |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Farmers in Argentina have declared their fourth strike in as many months, starting at 0300 GMT Sunday, to protest against tax increases on food exports. | Farmers in Argentina have declared their fourth strike in as many months, starting at 0300 GMT Sunday, to protest against tax increases on food exports. |
Argentina is one of the world's top exporters of wheat, soya and beef. | Argentina is one of the world's top exporters of wheat, soya and beef. |
A focus of the farmers' anger is an increase in the export tax on soya, which earned $13bn (£6.6bn) in 2007. | A focus of the farmers' anger is an increase in the export tax on soya, which earned $13bn (£6.6bn) in 2007. |
On Saturday, Argentine riot police broke up a road blockade by protesting truckers and farmers on a main road near the border with Uruguay. | On Saturday, Argentine riot police broke up a road blockade by protesting truckers and farmers on a main road near the border with Uruguay. |
Riot police moved in to clear Route 14, a major road link with Brazil. | Riot police moved in to clear Route 14, a major road link with Brazil. |
Nearly 20 protesters were temporarily detained, among them the leader of the local farmers' association, Alfredo de Angeli. | Nearly 20 protesters were temporarily detained, among them the leader of the local farmers' association, Alfredo de Angeli. |
Action day | |
Other highways were being blocked by angry hauliers whose livelihood has been damaged by the ongoing tax dispute. | |
The lorry drivers' protest has led to fuel shortages and is threatening food stocks in parts of Argentina. | |
Leading activists said the latest strike would continue until Wednesday but suggested renewed road blockades would not be involved. | |
"We are not calling for a blockade," said Eduardo Buzzi, one of the strike leaders. | |
"We want only to control the cargo transported by trucks." | |
He criticised Saturday's detention of farmers and said the unions would hold a national day of action on Wednesday to protest against their arrests. | |
"We're keeping the protest alive," AFP news agency reported him as saying. | |
"We don't want to overturn the government. We want a democratic, federal and republican country." | |
Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner last week defended her government's decision to impose higher export taxes. | |
She said the additional money raised would be spent on tackling poverty by building more housing, hospitals and roads. | |
Last Monday, the farmers had suspended the protests in the hope of returning to the negotiations with the government. |