12 million people in Argentina cannot afford basic food: Reports

The economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic have exacerbated poverty in Argentina, with about 12 million people in urban areas incapable of affording a load of basic food or essential services in the second half of 2020.

In the 31 major cities studied, the country's poverty rate increased from 40.9 percent in the initial half of the year to 42 percent in the next year, according to the National Institute of Statistics.

This was a steep increase of 6.5 percentage details from the last six months of 2019.

Poverty is described as the incapacity to afford a basket of basic food and dishes that cost about $ 600 a month for a family of four.

People who cannot afford a basic basket with only food - about $ 250 for a family - are classified as in need. By 2020, they numbered 10.5 percent of the population.

More than 57 percent of children up to 14 years old lived in poverty, the data showed.

The figures are the result of a three-year recession, exacerbated by economically devastating closure measures taken to suppress the global health crisis.

Argentina recorded its highest defect rate of 58 percent at the end of 2002 during its worst financial disaster.

Thousands of people walked in Buenos Aires earlier this month to require food aid.

As the government continues to fight the pandemic, the administration of center-left President Alberto Fernandez is also trying to renegotiate the approximately $ 45 billion the country owes to the International Monetary Fund.

The crisis of the coronavirus has plagued the struggling economy of the top-grained producer, complicating efforts to meet its obligations.

Argentina is also facing the maturity of $ 2.4 billion in debt it owes to the Paris Club group of creditors, a payment it hopes to reschedule as reserves fall along with production.

The COVID-19 pandemic killed 55,000 people in Argentina from more than 2.3 million recorded infections.