Argentines Protest Spending Cuts by Javier Milei
Schools, banks and many shops have remained closed due to a general strike against public spending cuts in Argentina,
Train and metro services were also on hold, with a limited bus service running.
Hector Daher, a prominent union leader, characterized the 24-hour strike as a signal to President Javier Milei, urging him to reconsider certain subsidy and social program cuts.
President Milei, an advocate of drastic public spending reductions, has initiated widespread austerity measures since assuming office in December.
He argues that these actions are essential to address Argentina's soaring public deficit and the world's highest inflation rate, nearing 300% annually.
Despite the government's claims of progress, including a decline in inflation in recent months, critics argue that these achievements have been accompanied by a decline in economic activity.
President Milei criticized the strike, asserting that his administration has already made significant concessions to the unions.
A government spokesman described the strike as "purely political", and said it "damages and complicates the lives of many people".
The unions, however, have accused Mr Milei's cuts of doing the same.
"Far from being sustainable, [the cuts are] taking sectors of citizens to extremes that they will hardly be able to recover from if this continues," Mr Daher said, according to the Diario Democracia newspaper.
Other union leaders vowed to continue the collective action if the Argentine government refused to ease some of his measures.
Viggo Mortensen, the Lord of the Rings actor who was raised in Argentina, told RTVE that he felt Mr Milei was a "clown" whose administration had been "a total disaster" for Argentines.
But others expressed anger towards the strikes, as while they predominantly affected public services, many businesses had remained open
Mr Milei expressed pride in the fact he had lowered government spending below tax revenue for the first time since 2008, but said that "there is no magic, real life needs time".
"What would have been the alternative? To continue to print money like the previous administration that generates inflation and ends up affecting the most vulnerable?"
His left-wing predecessor, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, described the cuts as a "useless sacrifice of the people" in the wake of the strikes.
While the strikes mainly disrupted public services, some expressed frustration as numerous businesses continued operations. Mr. Milei voiced satisfaction in achieving government spending below tax revenue for the first time since 2008 but emphasized the need for patience, stating that "real life needs time" and there's no instant solution.
He argued against the previous administration's practice of printing money, which fueled inflation and disproportionately impacted the most vulnerable. In contrast, his left-wing predecessor, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, criticized the cuts as an unnecessary burden on the people following the strikes.
