BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Argentina’s President, Javier Milei, faced a one-day general strike on Wednesday. The strike was organized by the largest union, CGT, protesting his decree targeting unions and proposed economic and labor law changes. The strike took place in Buenos Aires and other cities, with social groups and political opponents joining in, including the Peronist party, which dominated national politics for decades.
Until his presidential run, Milei, an economist, was known mostly for his televised speeches against the political elite. He took office just over a month ago and declared to drastically reduce state spending to address a government budget deficit contributing to high inflation, which reached 211% in 2023. Milei issued a decree to modify existing laws to limit union power and deregulate the economy. His administration also sent an omnibus bill to Congress for sweeping reforms in various fields.
As of early evening, Milei had yet to make a public comment on the strike. The strike’s impact on his agenda remains uncertain. However, there are legitimate grievances due to triple-digit inflation and a steep devaluation of the peso. Analyst Sergio Berensztein explained that while people have valid reasons to protest, the main motivation behind the strike is the president’s attempt to weaken union influence.
Berensztein added that the union leaders are concerned about losing bargaining power and political influence if Milei’s changes go through. This strike was the first general strike in Argentina in more than four years and also the quickest to be organized during a president’s term since 1983.
“We’re going to lose more rights that we worked for,” Karina Villagra, a teacher, expressed her concerns about the potential impact of Milei’s reforms.
Milei won the runoff election with 56% of the votes and warned that things would worsen before getting better. Despite accelerated inflation and mass layoffs in state-owned firms, two separate polls this month showed that he retains support from more than half of respondents.
Security Minister Patricia Bullrich accused strike organizers of trying to prevent the change that Argentine voters chose. Milei’s spokesperson, Manuel Adorni, stated that it’s impossible to engage in dialogue with those trying to disrupt the country and show an anti-democratic side. His labor decree would restrict the right to strike for essential workers and enable employers to fire employees more easily.
The general strike affected various sectors, including banks, gas stations, public administration, health services, and trash collection. However, airports remained open, despite disruptions to flights by state-owned airline Aerolineas Argentinas. Public transportation workers also participated in the strike, with evening services suspended in Buenos Aires and surrounding areas. Tens of thousands of protesters gathered in Buenos Aires, where union leaders addressed the crowd, criticizing Milei’s decree and proposed reforms.
Berensztein predicted that the omnibus bill would undergo significant changes before being approved in Congress and then debated in the Senate. Benjamin Gedan, director of the Latin America program at the Wilson Center in Washington, noted that while Milei acts as if he has a clear mandate, many of his voters rejected Peronism rather than fully endorsing his austerity measures.
Gedan highlighted the challenges Milei may face in maintaining public support, especially given the rapid and drastic actions taken to address Argentina’s problems. He also pointed out that while a one-day strike doesn’t pose an existential threat to Milei’s presidency, it could provide insights into future challenges.___Biller reported from Rio de Janeiro. Associated Press writer Natacha Pisarenko in Buenos Aires contributed to this report.
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