Massive Demonstrations in Argentina Against Javier Milei's Austerity Measures

Thousands of Argentinians have taken part in protests against President Javier Milei's proposed measures to reduce workers' rights. The demonstrations, organized by the CGT union, saw large crowds gathering in Buenos Aires and other cities. President Milei, who was elected just 45 days ago, has promised to deregulate the economy, implement deep spending cuts, and devalue the peso. Protesters, facing off against riot police, held signs stating "eating is not a privilege," "The homeland is not for sale," and "Stop robbing retirees." The main rally took place outside parliament, where politicians discussed Milei's plans to deregulate the economy, cut labor rights, and downsize the government. The CGT, along with other unions and civic groups, pledged to protect workers' rights and resist any rollbacks. The strike lasted 12 hours, impacting public transport, flights, and other services. Opposition parties and unions argue that Milei's proposed deregulation and spending cuts will disproportionately affect vulnerable populations and exacerbate poverty. Milei blames Argentina's economic decline on decades of overspending by left-wing populist governments. His reforms face multiple challenges, including over 60 lawsuits, public demonstrations, and court freezes on certain measures. In addition to trying to gain parliamentary approval for the privatization of state enterprises, Milei recently devalued the peso by over 50%, drawing criticism from economists who argue that inflation will negate the gains in export competitiveness. Milei has already had to backtrack on plans to cut public funding for the film industry due to backlash from film stars.