A general strike against public spending cuts has significantly disrupted transportation in Argentina, impacting the daily lives of many citizens. The protest action bursts forth as a direct response to far-right President Javier Milei’s imposition of austerity measures. These measures have decimated subsidies for transportation, fuel, and energy, and resulted in the firing of 50,000 civil servants.
Horacio Bianchi, a recently-retired teacher living in Buenos Aires, expressed his fear about the cuts to the wire service AP. He stated that people are struggling under the weight of these cuts, saying, “These people [the government] came to solve the problems and they have absolutely worsened them for everyone.” This tone captures the anger the whole society is experiencing as they deal with high costs of living and a lack of social infrastructure.
The 24-hour strike is the third general strike called by Argentina’s combative labor syndicates. This comes on the heels of Milei taking office at the end of 2023. Demonstrators joined forces with retirees who have experienced a sudden and ruthless reduction in their pension funds. This one-two punch of collusion sparked further anger across the country.
As the strike continued, the federal government grounded all domestic flights. In Buenos Aires and across the country, train and subway services similarly ceased. Despite airlines assuring that international flights would continue with only short delays, this sudden shutdown has left millions of impacted travelers stranded.
Over the last weeks, protests against these economic policies have exploded into violence. Clashes between sympathetic groups, including football fans and law enforcement, have raised concerns about public safety and the government’s ability to manage civil unrest effectively.
The government of Argentina has a lot on its plate. At the same time, it continues to hope for a green light on a possible new $20 billion loan by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The country now owes the lender $44 billion, putting the instability of the situation into sharper relief. In further support of the reforms, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will be in Buenos Aires on Monday. The U.S. Treasury Department has expressed optimism regarding Milei’s leadership, stating that he has “brought Argentina back from economic oblivion.”
Despite attempts to crack down, the strike continues undeterred, with transport still very much affected. This ordeal highlights the increasing strain between state and local governments and their constituents during unprecedented economic hardship.