Teorija inflacije a la Kirchner

Political activists allied with Argentina’s government increased pressure on retailers in a very personal way on Friday: They plastered the city with poster-size photos of retail executives, accusing them of fueling the inflation that officials are scrambling to tame.

The posters, featuring head shots of executives from the local units of Wal-Mart Stores, Carrefour SA and other companies, were posted on walls, bus stops and newspaper kiosks across the capital.

“These are the people who steal your salary,” the posters say. “They raised the price of everything to take your money.” The companies either declined to comment or didn’t return calls about the posters.

Created by United and Organized, a group of politically active young people loyal to President Cristina Kirchner , the posters appeared as Mrs. Kirchner urged Argentines to work “elbow to elbow” with the government to report unfairly high prices and stop “the looting” of ordinary people. Two weeks ago, the government devalued the peso, helping fuel inflation and prompting many businesses to raise prices by 20% or more.

“I know all of them,” Mr. Capitanich said. “They are all undercover agents. Argentines should know that independent, objective economists do not exist. I want to say emphatically that when unscrupulous businessmen raise prices, it has absolutely nothing to do with macroeconomic variables.”

Mr. Capitanich also criticized what he called the arrogance of lawmakers on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee. During a hearing for President Barack Obama’s nominee to be the next ambassador to Buenos Aires on Thursday, senators questioned Argentina’s commitment to democracy and its management of the economy.