Versión en castellano

As had been announced by the united front of piquetero organizations - the number of  which exceeds that of any previous action - pickets and protests were carried out on March 18th  throughout the country against austerity and demanding the increase of the minimum wage and goverment subsidies. In Buenos Aires, tens of thousands of piqueteros went to the center of political power, in Plaza de Mayo, where they closed the day with a rally.

This action was agreed on between the Frente de Lucha Piquetero [Piquetero Struggle Front], ledby the Polo Obrero, and various piquetero organizations (FOL, FOB, FPDS, etc.) that joined the plan of struggle of the independent piquetero movement, given the growth of unemployment, misery, rising prices, lack of food and the decrease of the real income provided by government subsidies.
In a country where 6 out of 10 children are poor, a reality recently reflected in the living conditions of Maia, the girl kidnapped and recovered today, who lives with her mother in an improvised “box” out in the open; with almost 50% of the population in poverty and the minimum wage in levels that condemn workers to hunger at $ 21,600; with 70% of pensioners receiving the minimum contribution, below the indigence line; the piquetero movement has said enough! And they have called for this forceful and historic action of unified struggle.

The convening organizations denounced that the cost of living triples the minimum wage and that it is unattainable for an unemployed person, which is aggravated in the case of women and sexual diversities.

They point out that the government ignores popular demands and focuses its policy on satisfying those of the IMF, which entails an unbearable social cost, with millions of newly poor and unemployed people, homeless people on the streets and collapsed soup kitchens.

While in the different cities of almost all the country's provinces actions were taking place, in the center of Buenos Aires the day began early, with a youth’s mobilization towards the Ministry of Education to demand computers, wifi, scholarships, vaccination and building improvements in defense of the right to education.

Later, the protesters arrived at Plaza de Mayo from three different directions –Obelisco, Av. De Mayo and Belgrano-, to bring together an independent piquetero movement that has taken a quality leap in its organization, in response to the policy of the government of Alberto Fernandez.
Among the claims that stood out the most are the minimum wage of $ 56,000 and the equalization of social programs to the Food Basket; genuine work; vaccination for essential workers, including those who tend soup kitchens; land to live in, down with the evictions; budget and policies to eradicate gender violence; no to environmental looting in Chubut; wireless internet for all.

At the end of the day, Eduardo Belliboni, from the Polo Obrero, said: “We are going to develop a thorough plan of struggle to demand, when the Council of the Minimum, Vital and Mobile Wage meets, that in Argentina there cannot be any worker who earns less than the cost  of living, which today stands at $ 58,000”.