They are really Salta's own money, denominated in the Argentine national currency.

With no accord to restart the economy, the pressure on the Argentine currency is mounting.

"I am determined to continue defending the Argentine currency and monetary system," he said.

The austral, the Argentine currency, has even strengthened.

Even cellular telephone bills are stated in dollars, and customers are free to pay in American or Argentine currency.

The Argentine currency has been devalued by 90 percent against the dollar since February.

His companies bought bonds worth 595 million pesos before last year's sharp devaluation, which unhooked the Argentine currency from parity to the dollar.

Bankers and investors see the attacks as a guise for the real target: the linking of the Argentine currency to the dollar.

That would cause the Argentine currency to plunge and the dollar to soar.

Another reason for the instability of the Argentine currency was the fragility of domestic financial institutions.