Thousands of people demonstrated on Thursday night in various parts of Argentina, for the second consecutive night, in protest against economic measures announced by the new president of the country.
The protesters were in Congress banging pots and in the Plaza de Mayo, where the Association of Nursing Graduates held a “march with torches” to demand professional recognition and protest against a decree announced by Javier Milei on Wednesday.
The decree of necessity and urgency (DNU), with more than 300 reforms, with which it aims, once and for all, lay the foundations for the reconstruction of the Argentine economy through economic deregulation and the reversal of the fiscal deficit
There were also demonstrations in the city of Viedma and in different towns in the province of Jujuy, against the DNU, which they argue was “a coup d’état against national interests,” according to the Argentine news agency Télam.
The protests were replicated in cities of Morón, San Miguel, Mar de Ajo, Rosario, Mar del Plata, Bariloche, Ushuaia, Córdoba, Junín, Resistenciaamong other.
Hours before, Milei affirmed that the decree of economic deregulation measures is “in favor of the people” and criticized those who took to the streets to protest, alleging that they suffer from “Stockholm syndrome” in relation to the previous government, led by the Peronist. . Alberto Fernandez.
From former president Cristina Fernández (2007-2015) to radical figures, Milei’s plan, announced on Wednesday, is generating strong rejection, which goes beyond the discontent expressed in the streets.
This circumstance calls into question Milei’s desire to implement a plan to stabilize the Argentine economy through the approval of the DNU.
“We should not pit Argentines against Argentines,” reacted Cristina Fernández, who criticized Milei for putting emphasis on repressing riots instead of guaranteeing the rights of Argentines.
“When democracy celebrates 40 years of continuity, our country is witnessing an event of extreme institutional gravity never seen before. The executive branch, in an act of clear abuse of power, advanced on the exclusive powers of the legislative branch,” he wrote in the Social network X former president Alberto Fernández (2019-2023).
Milei is likely to have serious difficulty getting the plan past parliamentary scrutiny. The DNU, with 82 pages and 366 articles, can only be approved or rejected in its entirety.
“The President must replace this invalid DNU with a ‘mirror law’ that can be voted on by chapters and convene [sessões] extraordinary measures to treat it urgently. In this way, positive reforms can be approved, which will have consensus, and those that do not, can be avoided,” proposed the president of the União Cívica Radical, a party with broad representation of legislators and governors.
Martín Lousteau stressed that “respect for institutions prevents abuses that harm society.”
In Propuesta Republicana (PRO), a center-right party founded by former president Mauricio Macri (2015-2019) and with leaders occupying prominent positions in Milei’s management, the discussion on the plan is not yet defined.
“In this fragile and threatening moment, we must be aware of the urgency of taking courageous measures. If we do not do so, we expose ourselves to the risk of hyperinflation that could be devastating for the lives of millions of Argentines,” Macri warned. .
However, in the union world more and more voices of rejection are heard. The union centers consider that the measures reduce labor and social rights.
The General Confederation of Workers (CGT), the country’s main trade union center, which had abstained from participating in protest demonstrations until knowing the scope of the decree, called a march for December 27, to demand the repeal of the plan.
The CGT will take legal action to annul the DNU, rejecting the proposed measures, which have a direct impact on labor legislation.
On the other hand, business associations expressed strong support for the fiscal adjustment and deregulation proposed by the government. The Argentine Business Association (AEA), the Argentine Industrial Union and the Argentine Chamber of Commerce approved the decree that aims to transform state companies into public limited companies with a view to their “later privatization”, in order to deregulate the Argentine economy.
“The start of the new Government raises hopes that our country can reverse a long period characterized by economic stagnation, very high inflation rates and a very significant increase in poverty,” the AEA stated.
Source: TSF
