Less than a month after his accession to power, spontaneous rallies in many cities across the country against Javier Milei, whose measures plan to repeal hundreds of standards and limit public freedoms.
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It is a metallic noise that has been resonating in the four corners of Buenos Aires, and in several Argentine cities, for ten days now, and the presentation of the decree of anger. Like thousands of other demonstrators present in front of Congress in the capital, José, 64, hits a pan with a spatula. “It is lamentable to lose our sovereignty like this with the privatization of our public companies or the sale of our land to any buyer… What will we be left with? ?”
This mega-decree takes effect Friday, December 29, and contains very radical new measures. In line with what Javier Milei promised during the campaign, he aims to modify or repeal nearly 300 standards which, according to the new president, block the economic life of the country.
Despite the political opposition, despite the judicial opposition, which will undoubtedly be put in place, despite doubts about the constitutionality of the process, the text should apply since it is via a DNU, a decree of necessity and emergency, which Javier Milei legislated. This allows the implementation of measures without having been approved by Parliament, where the president is far from having a majority. The deputies and senators will only have their say afterwards, during the examination of the bill with 664 articles, 350 pages in all, which must definitively ratify the measures.
Suppression of elections, limited right to demonstrate…
This involves, among other things, removing rent controls or state intervention to protect the prices of essential products, weakening worker protection or even launching a vast privatization program. Nothing will be spared: suppression of certain elections, limitation of the right to demonstrate, new method of calculating retirement and pensions… Via this “DNU”, Javier Milei also directly attacks several rights and freedoms of Argentines. These are all measures in addition to the more economical ones already taken to reduce the budget deficit, such as the very significant devaluation of the national currency or the reduction in certain subsidies, which have led to an explosion in prices.
“Let President Milei resolve the country’s financial problems but in another way without harming the people!”
José, a 64-year-old Argentinianat franceinfo
In Argentina, a call for a general strike on January 24 was launched on Thursday December 28 by the unions. And already, in the streets, two weeks after coming to power, Javier Milei is finding resistance. In addition to marches by unions and social organizations, there are more and more spontaneous gatherings of Argentines in their neighborhoods.
“He can’t change the country in 15 days!”
“The homeland is not for sale!” : this is what the angry Argentines are singing. Among them, Vanina, 30, voted for Milei. “I believe that most of the economic measures he proposes are necessary but gradually. He cannot change the country in 15 days ! Because otherwise the only ones who suffer are the middle classes and bass”, says Vanina, who lost her job. “But seeing all these people recharged me with energy.”
“Many of us supported him to come to power, but not to make such radical and drastic changes.”
Vanina, 30 years oldat franceinfo
The anarcho-capitalist revolution promised by the president is underway. But between the resistance in the streets and the certainly laborious analysis of hundreds of articles in Congress, Milei’s dream of a liberal Argentina will not be so easy to achieve.