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Argentina’s largest unions began a 12-hour nationwide strike on Wednesday. Tens of thousands of workers protested in the center of Buenos Aires against the harsh austerity measures and reforms of the new libertarian President Javier Milei, writes the Reuters agency.
The nationwide strike, organized by the largest union, the General Confederation of Labor (CGT), is the largest expression of resistance to Mileio’s plans to cut spending and privatize. During the strike, schools, banks and shops were closed, and transportation was also restricted, including the cancellation of hundreds of flights, the agency said.
Javier Milei took the presidential oath 45 days ago and promised deregulation, sharp spending cuts and a devaluation of the peso, writes the BBC. Since then, the far-right politician nicknamed “El Loco” (The Madman) has quickly implemented what former Ukip leader Nigel Farage recently described as “Thatcherism on steroids,” reports The Guardian.
Milei proposed hundreds of controversial innovations, including a wave of privatization, drastic spending cuts, a significant expansion of presidential powers and restrictions on workers’ rights. Nine of the 18 ministries were abolished, including those responsible for education, the environment, women, gender and diversity, the British newspaper said.
The main event of Wednesday’s protests took place in front of the Argentine parliament. The demonstrators carried placards reading “Eating is not a privilege,” “The Motherland is not for sale,” and “Stop robbing pensioners.” The CGT, which has seven million members, was joined by other unions and civil society groups in pledging “not to deviate an inch from what has been achieved on workers’ rights,” according to the BBC.
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