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A6 WORLD NEWS
Friday 29 September 2023

Rising poverty grips Argentina as runaway inflation takes its toll

By DÉBORA REY subsidy to help them with
Associated Press their rent.
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina “Most of them tell you their
(AP) — With tired faces, res- salary doesn’t cover their
idents of a homeless shelter needs,” said Mercedes Vu-
in Argentina’s capital pass cassovich, a social worker
through the main entrance who runs the Bepo Ghezzi
and line up to receive a hot center.
drink and a slice of cake for The median monthly in-
an afternoon snack. come in Argentina was
Places like the Bepo Ghezzi 87,310 pesos ($237) during
Social Inclusion Center in the second quarter of the
the Parque Patricios neigh- year, according to INDEC.
borhood of Buenos Aires A typical family needs more
have seen demand soar as than 280,000 pesos ($765)
more people are struggling to stay out of poverty.
to make ends meet amid In Morón, a suburb west of
an annual inflation rate the capital, María de los
above 100%. Ángeles García and Adrián
The portion of Argentines Viñas Coronel, along with
living in poverty reached their five children aged 3
40.1% in the first six months months to 13 years, are
of the year, according to renting a makeshift dwell-
figures released Wednes- ing in a low-income neigh-
day by the government’s Homeless people sleep on a sidewalk in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Wednesday, early Sept. 27, borhood after spending six
2023.
INDEC statistics agency. Associated Press months on the streets. With
That is up from 39.2% in the an address, they can enroll
second half of 2022. country, don’t allow me to the South American coun- 80,000 pesos ($218) he paid their children in a public
“I was renting, and it in- cover basic expenses.” try stays mired in econom- to live in a boarding house. school.
creased. I couldn’t afford For much of the 20th cen- ic malaise. Prices soared “It’s a peaceful place,” he Their only fixed income is
it,” said Lionel Pais, 37, who tury, Argentina showed a 124.4% during the 12-month said of the shelter. about 90,000 pesos ($245)
arrived at the shelter three social mobility dynamic period through Aug. 31. But the clock for Boned, a month in social assis-
weeks ago, just after the that gave rise to a large Sebastián Boned, 26, found and all of the shelter’s oth- tance, of which they have
government devalued the middle class and made the himself calling the assis- er residents, is ticking. These to allocate 25% to rent.
Argentine peso almost 20%, country stand out in the tance hotline for people shelters guarantee housing “We have to work all day
setting off another surge in region. But the good times experiencing homelessness for only three months. Dur- on the street because we
prices. “These sudden in- derailed, and poverty has when his wages as a ho- ing that time, residents are don’t have enough for
creases that occurred, the remained firmly above 25% tel receptionist no longer given guidance on finding food nor diapers for the
economic situation in the the last two decades as allowed him to cover the work and applying for a kids,” said García, 31.q

Burkina Faso’s junta says its intelligence and security services

have foiled a coup attempt

By CHINEDU ASADU Burkina Faso is one of a September 2022. security forces that thwart- approved by a national as-
Associated Press growing list of West African Ouedraogo said an investi- ed the coup. sembly that included army
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — countries where the military gation into the attempted The transitional govern- officers, civil society groups
Burkina Faso’s military gov- has taken power, accusing takeover was underway ment is running Burkina and traditional and reli-
ernment said Wednesday the elected governments and that those behind it Faso under a constitution gious leaders.q
its intelligence and secu- of failing to keep their had sought to cast Burkina
rity services had thwarted promises. The current junta Faso “into chaos.”
a coup attempt and were seized power in September The announcement came
actively pursuing others be- 2022 by ousting the military a day after protesters
lieved involved in what it regime of Lt. Col. Paul Henri marched in Ouagadou-
called a bid to “throw our Sandaogo Damiba about gou, the nation’s capital,
country into chaos.” eight months after it staged expressing support for the
A junta statement said the a coup to remove demo- transitional government.
coup attempt happened cratically elected President The junta’s statement
Tuesday without providing Roch Marc Kaboré. praised citizens “for their
further details. Capt. Ibrahim Traore was resolute and historic com-
“Officers and other alleged named as the transitional mitment to defending the
actors involved in this at- president. Homeland and protect-
tempt at destabilization However, since its incep- ing it against all those who
have been arrested and tion, the junta has struggled want to take us backwards
others are actively sought,” to end Burkina Faso’s se- into history.” It also com-
junta spokesman Rimtalba curity challenges the very mended “the patriotic ac- Burkina Faso coup leader Capt. Ibrahim Traore participates in
Jean Emmanuel Ouedrao- reason that it said prompt- tion and the high sense of a ceremony in Ouagadougou, Oct. 15, 2022.
go said in the statement. ed it to take over power in duty” of the defense and Associated Press