Global

Riot Police in Buenos Aires Clash With Protesters Over President Milei’s Budget-Slashing Reforms

Riot police in Argentina’s capital Buenos Aires, deployed tear gas and water cannons to disperse protesters outside Congress on Wednesday, as lawmakers gave initial approval to budget-slashing reforms in the Senate. 

Demonstrators, opposing the measures which they claim will hurt millions of Argentines, threw petrol bombs and stones, setting one car ablaze. Local media described the chaotic scene as a “battlefield.”

The reform package, proposed by right-wing President Javier Milei, aims to revive the country’s struggling economy. It includes declaring a state of economic emergency, cutting pensions, and diluting labor rights. Leftist political parties, labor unions, and social organizations staunchly oppose these measures.

The motion, initially tied 36-36 in the Senate, was passed after Vice President and Senate leader Victoria Villarruel broke the tie.

 “For those Argentines who suffer, who wait, who do not want to see their children leave the country. my vote is affirmative,” Villarruel stated.

The 328-article bill will now be scrutinized point by point before expected full approval on Thursday. It will then return to the lower house for final approval.

Ahead of the Senate’s decision, protesters chanted slogans such as “The country is not for sale, the country is defended,” and banners read, “How can a head of state hate the state?” Clashes erupted as demonstrators attempted to breach fences around Congress, leading to rock-throwing and police pepper spraying the crowd.

Observers and opposition MPs reported that dozens of demonstrators and several MPs needed medical attention. Legislator Cecilia Moreau told AFP news agency that at least five opposition MPs were hospitalized. 

Officials reported that at least 20 police officers were injured and 15 people were arrested. Protesters reportedly set two vehicles on fire, including one belonging to a news organization.

“We cannot believe that in Argentina we are discussing a law that will put us back 100 years,” said Fabio Nunez, a 55-year-old protesting lawyer, quoted by AFP.

President Milei’s office issued a statement praising the security forces for repressing what it described as “terrorists” attempting a coup d’état. “We are going to change Argentina, we are going to make it the most liberal country in the world,” Mr. Milei declared at a conference in Buenos Aires.

The divisive bill, which was initially approved by the lower house in April after significant amendments, reflects President Milei’s campaign promise to drastically cut public spending. 

Since taking office in 2023, Milei has halved the cabinet, slashed 50,000 public jobs, suspended new public works contracts, and removed fuel and transport subsidies, even as annual inflation approached 300%.

As Argentina braces for the full approval of the reforms, the nation’s deep divisions are starkly visible, with no immediate resolution in sight.

Follow us on:

AriseNews

View Comments

  • 📞📞📞📞📞📞📞📞!!!!NEW VEHICLES!!!!
    GOLF 2,3,4,5 #250,000
    TOYOTA CAMRY BIG
    DADDY #550,000
    Ford Edge=700,000
    BMW 3-series=1.640,000
    BMW 5-series=1.960,000
    TOYOTA CAMRY
    TINYLIGH= #350,000
    TACOMA 1.980m
    Mercedes-Benz C-Class ₦1.3Million
    Mercedes-Benz E-Class ₦1.8Million
    TOYOTA CAMRY
    MUSCLE= #1m450,000
    SPIDER 1.5m
    TOYOTA CAMRY
    PENCILLIGHT=#400,000
    TOYOTA COROLLA
    le=#550,000
    TOYOTA COROLLA
    S=#850,000
    Mercedes-Benz GLK ₦3.Million
    Benz ML350=2 million
    Benz ML550=2.6million
    TOYOTA
    VENZA=#1.8m
    TOYOTA Hilux 1.5 million
    TOYOTA AVALON
    #800,000
    TOYOTA AVENSIS
    #700,000
    TOYOTA RAV4 1.2m
    TOYOTA SIENNA
    #750,000
    TOYOTA
    4runner#850,000
    TOYOTA TUNDRA 1.9m
    TOYOTA PICNIC
    #850,000
    TOYOTA Highlander
    #1m850,000
    TOYOTA PADRO JEEP
    1.6m
    TOYOTA LAND
    CRUISER=1.5m
    TOYOTA YARIS #859,000
    TOYOTA MATRIX
    #850,000
    Benz C250=N1.300,000
    TIPPER Head 6mill
    Dyna Truck 900k
    TOYOTA HAICE BUS
    #1m750,000
    ACCURA ZDX 1.6m
    ACCURA MDX 1.9m
    HONDA PILOT #950,00
    HONDA BABY BOY=920k
    Land Rover Freelander ₦3.6Million
    Land Rover Discovery ₦3.2Million
    #550,000
    HONDA END OF
    DISCUSSION=900k
    HONDA ACCORD
    #850,000
    Benz ML300=1.5 million
    Benz C300=1.6MILLION
    Honda CR-V #950,000
    INFINITY fx450 #750,000
    to 1.4m
    NISSAN MURANO
    #1m550,00
    IS250 1m
    Es330 1.6m
    BMW X6=2.670,000
    Tacoma 1.850,000
    LEXUS RX 350 #1m950,000
    LEXUS RS 330 #1m 850,000
    LEXUS RS 300 # 950,000
    LEXUS RX 470 2.5m
    Pequot 406=470,000
    ES350 2mill
    Is350 2mill
    All NEGOTIABLE WE
    RENDER GOOD SERVICE
    TO CUSTOMER ....{ E.T .C}081_-6618_5400 INSTALMENTAL PAYMENT IS ALLOWED!!〽.VEHICLES ARE SLIGHTLY NEGOTIABLE〽WE COMMENCE DELIVERY WITHIN 36 STATE IN NIGERIAO8I 66I8 54OO

Recent Posts

Suspected APC Thugs Attack PDP Secretariat In Edo, Destroy, Steal Properties Worth Millions

Edo PDP has accused the APC of orchestrating an attack on party secretariat, destroying and…

2 mins ago

Nigeria Partners With IOM On Revised Migration Policy, Reveals 6.1 Million Nigerians Displaced Amidst Insecurity

The FG has partnered with IOM, announced a strategy to review migration policy and address…

8 mins ago

Dangote Group Took Up The Challenge, Built A Refinery When Shell, Chevron, Other IOCs Couldn’t, Says Dangote VP Devakumar Edwin

Dangote Group’s Edwin Devakumar has said that by building the refinery, Dangote did what IOCs…

9 mins ago

House Deputy Speaker Kalu Says Governors Receptive To Proposed Constitution Amendments

Benjamin Kalu has revealed that Nigerian governors are supportive, committed to reviewing the 161 proposed…

35 mins ago

NNPC Plans High Integrity, Low Security Risk Pipeline Network to Combat Vandalism, Drive Sustainability

NNPC has announced plans for modern pipeline systems with fibre optics, geo-tagging, and private investment…

38 mins ago

Zenith Bank Awards N77.5 Million at Hackathon Finalists for Tech Startups at Fourth Annual Tech Fair

The Zenith Tech Fair 4.0 ended with a sum of N77.5 million being given to…

40 mins ago