Argentina: Crackdown on foreigners tearing up currency notes to annoy locals.

Fans of a Brazilian club in Argentina tear up the peso, the local currency, to mock its devaluation.

Christie Cooney

Post, BBC News

11 August 2023.

At sporting events, some fans find new ways to annoy the opposing teams and their fans.  Something similar happened recently in Argentina, where photos and videos of foreign fans tearing up the local currency at soccer stadiums have gone viral.

But now Argentina has said that foreign fans will be fined for burning or tearing up the local currency during football matches.

The announcement came at a time when fans of rival teams and clubs have been seen doing so during soccer matches in Argentina to anger the host nation.

Argentina has been facing an economic crisis for many years, where the inflation rate has increased significantly.

But now foreign fans can face up to 30 days in jail for tearing up Argentina's currency notes.

Fans, usually from Brazil and Chile, have torn up notes during matches to provoke Argentina, which has been condemned locally.

According to local media, Argentina's sports violence prevention agency says the act violates existing rules on fighting during sporting events and could create a law and order problem.

He said that law enforcement agencies can detain such fans and clubs can also be punished if the problem becomes serious.

Argentine law also prohibits tearing or burning the local currency.  If a local person also does this, he can be punished with imprisonment.

Argentina's annual inflation rate has risen in recent years.  Earlier this year, inflation in Argentina was recorded at over 100 percent.  This was the first time since the hyperinflation of the early 90s.

The inflation rate in Argentina was 115.6% during June.  While the country's currency is experiencing a dramatic fall in the exchange rate.

In 1992, the country denominated its currency notes equal to one dollar, which had to be abolished in 2001 and 2002 due to the financial crisis.

The economic crisis has also created political chaos in the country.  Argentina changed three finance ministers in four weeks last summer.

In March 2022, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a $44 billion loan program for Argentina over 30 months.