September 06, 2004 – Peleadoras: Argentina’s Labor Movements Through the Eyes of Women
The 19th and 20th of December 2001 marked the end of the best concealed economic and political crisis of Argentine history. Snowballing external debt leftover from the dictatorship, combined with extreme neoliberal economic policies during the 1990s, resulted in an economic default of $180 billion dollars to the International Monetary Fund. The images of President Fernando De La Rua fleeing from office, and the death of 30 protestors was seen worldwide. With great bewilderment, the world watched the new face of Argentina – a country with more than 30 percent unemployment, with 3 million pushed under the poverty line almost overnight, and children dying from hunger and malnutrition in a massive country full of natural resources. Today, street protest in Argentina continues, and the working class are creating new ways of recuperating their way of life. Pauline Bartolone brings us this documentary on Argentina’s labor movements through the eyes of women organizers.
Special thanks to Curtis Draves and Karina Muniz for translation assistance. Parts of this documentary were written and recorded with Marcela, Nancy and Ruana from Argentina Indymedia. Music by the Platform.
