(voa) – Argentina’s interim president Adolfo Rodriguez Saa is considering whether to accept the resignation of his entire cabinet.
The cabinet offered to resign on Saturday, after complaints that the new government includes too many former officials with a history of corruption.
Meanwhile, Mr. Rodriguez Saa is holding talks with the heads of the country’s banks and with regional governors in an effort to quell protests. Police had to use tear gas and water cannons on Saturday to disperse thousands of angry protesters in Buenos Aires. Many Argentines are angry over the collapsing economy.
The country also faces foreign debt of more than $100 billion. President Rodriguez Saa ordered banks to remain open for 12 hours on Monday and relaxed restrictions to allow people to withdraw $1,000 in cash ahead of next month’s issue of a new non-convertible currency.
Many Argentines and analysts fear the argentino will lose its value quickly when it is floated on the open market, triggering high inflation and wiping out people’s savings.
Mr. Rodriguez Saa was sworn in as interim president last week. His predecessor, Fernando de la Rua, resigned after 27 people died in riots against the government’s economic policies.
