Food Insecurity Protests in Buenos Aires: Demanding Assistance for Poor Families Amidst Government Mismanagement Scandal

In Buenos Aires and other cities across Argentina, social organizations took to the streets to demand food for soup kitchens that assist poor families. The protests followed a scandal involving the storage of products intended for social assistance in state warehouses that were close to expiring.

The Coordinator for Social Change, the Polo Obrero, and other leftist organizations organized the marches. These groups have been providing food assistance from the State to soup kitchens for decades. The recent revelation that tens of thousands of kilos of powdered milk stored in Ministry of Human Capital warehouses were set to expire in July led to the government ordering their distribution with the help of the Army and a foundation.

Protesters expressed their frustration, demanding higher quality food than just powdered milk. The current context of growing poverty in Argentina, with more than 55% of the population affected by poverty, highlights the urgency of the situation. Inflation, economic recession, and strong government austerity measures have contributed to precarious living conditions for many in the country.

Sandra Pettovello, head of the Ministry of Human Capital, has been criticized for mismanagement of food distribution and storage. The Executive had initially claimed that stored food was for emergencies or catastrophes but as controversy grew, it was revealed that there was a lack of control over stock and expiration dates.

The intervention of justice system following a complaint filed by a social leader forced government to come up with a plan for quick distribution