a hundred injured and several dozen arrests in demonstrations in Buenos Aires

Division continues to reign in Argentina after the partial approval in the Senate of the economic deregulation law proposed by Milei, and the repression against demonstrators in Congress Square. The opposition denounces the arrest of 33 people. But the government, strengthened by this legislative victory, is determined to maintain order and even accuses the left of having wanted to carry out a coup d’état.

While the senators were debating, on Congress Square, demonstrators threw stones and molotov cocktails against the police. In response, police fired rubber bullets and threw tear gas at protesters. The clashes caused around a hundred injuries, 33 arrests and 200,000 euros in repair and clean-up costs for the city of Buenos Aires. Government spokesman Manuel Adorni yesterday described the left-wing demonstrators as “terrorists”.

“Outside Congress, there were terrorists who endangered not only the Senate session but also the functioning of democracy, says Manuel Adorni. It is an attempted coup d’état which aims to exhaust the government so that it gradually loses its strength and legitimacy. Left-wing organizations will pay. This wild Argentina, the government has come to put an end to it”

Myriam Bregman, MP for the opposition left front, spoke in front of the police station where the demonstrators are being held. She denies any coup d’état and speaks of a “legitimate mobilization against laws that will produce great changes.” The MP continues: “What the Minister of Security wants is for us to talk about that rather than what happened in the Senate”.

According to Myriam Bregman, to have the text on economic deregulation approved, the government would have bought votes and threatened senators. In this tense social climate, between accusations of corruption and terrorism, the bill approved by 37 votes to 36 will be revised again by the deputies at the end of June.