The new president, Javier Milli, faces his first challenge and a general strike

The huge Parliament Square in Buenos Aires, like in other cities, was filled for hours with thousands of demonstrators.

After just a month and a half in power, this is the first general strike and major protest for Javier Milli. On Wednesday 24 January thousands of Argentines demonstrated against the ultraliberal Argentine President’s austerity reforms. In the capital, Buenos Aires, transport, shops and banks were operating normally in the morning. The strike was supposed to last from noon to midnight, but transportation was scheduled to run until 7 p.m., before a complete shutdown until midnight, to transport and return demonstrators. Air traffic was affected early.

The huge Parliament Square in Buenos Aires was filled for hours with thousands of demonstrators, at the call of the trade union giant CGT (claimed 7 million affiliates), a pro-Peronist center (closer to the previous government), which had joined. by other unions, radical left movements and social organizations. In the provinces, Córdoba, Corrientes, La Rioja, Tucumán, among others, Argentine media reported demonstrations drawing thousands of people.

“Eating is not a privilege”

A month and a half into the presidency, an avalanche of deregulatory bills, a 54% devaluation and actual or planned austerity measures, “We have come to defend 40 years of democracy, to save motherland”, CGT co-leader Hector Der told the crowd. “It’s one thing to walk around with a chainsaw, another to rule.” which is needed “to show moderation”He said targeting the head of state. “Homeland is not for sale”, “Here, there is no caste!”, “Eating is not a privilege”Unfurled banners and signs against a backdrop of fireworks and bass drums, under the watchful eye of a giant puppet bearing the likeness of Javier Mille.

In Paris, around 200 people gathered in solidarity with Argentina. “Argentine workers face a government of rare brutality.”Franco-Uruguayan Nara Cladera of the French Union Solidaires told AFP she was “deeply afraid”. “suppression” Argentine authorities against the strikers. However, in Buenos Aires, no clashes were reported after three hours of gathering and when the crowd slowly began to disperse to Parliament Square.