The libertarian president of Argentina, Javier Milei, is the target of labor unions’ nationwide general strike that got underway on Wednesday in opposition to his reforms and austerity measures.
In the midst of the 12-hour strike that started at 10 a.m. ET on Wednesday, thousands of people marched toward Congress in the Argentine capital.
Since taking office, Milei has pushed lawmakers to approve a broad deregulation program that eliminates consumer and business protections and facilitates the privatization of public companies. She has also announced a number of cuts to public spending.
A group of social movements and the General Confederation of Labor (CGT) organized the strike in protest of Milei’s decree to deregulate the economy and the omnibus bill he sent.to legislators. Following the CGT’s challenge, an appeals court temporarily suspended a portion of the decree.
“I do not want this Argentina for my grandchildren or for Argentina’s future. A demonstrator addressed the new measures that Milei was going to impose, saying, “Do you know that they are selling part of Argentina – that they are taking the best parts of the country?” CNN en Español carried the statement.
Transportation has been disrupted as a result of the strike; on Wednesday, flag carrier Aerolíneas Argentinas announced the cancellation of all of its operations. It stated that more than 20,000 passengers had been impacted by the cancellation of 295 flights, and that “the total cost for the company of this measure will exceed $2.5 million.”
The nation’s “protocol for maintaining public order in the event of road closures,” commonly referred to as the anti-picketing or anti-blockade protocol, will be in effect during the demonstrations, according to the Ministry of Security.
According to a demonstrator who spoke with CNN en Español, “the right to protest will continue to be a fundamental, constitutional right” even if the protocol is followed.
When asked if it was acceptable for demonstrators to close down streets, he responded, “Yes, there is a conflict of rights that society will have to resolve.” It seems okay to me.
Self-described “anarcho-capitalist” and political outsider Milei won Argentina’s presidential election in November after running an unusual campaign replete with lofty pledges to transform the struggling nation’s economy. At a number of his rallies, he famously displayed a chainsaw as a symbol of his intention to cut public spending.
Eliminating hyperinflation is Milei’s top priority. Argentina’s annual inflation rate reached 211% in December, the highest in over thirty years.
