Signs of popular revolt against President Javier Milei’s murderous austerity “stabilization” program are visible everywhere in Argentina. Yesterday, social organizations, representing the poor, unemployed or working poor, mobilized nationwide to block 500 roads to protest the government’s decision to stop delivering food to community soup kitchens which feed the growing numbers of poor. Since Milei took office Dec. 10, the poverty rate has jumped 10 percentage points to 57.4%. Food prices have shot up by 300% during the same period and the 250% annual inflation rate has eaten away at wages and pensions. At the beginning of March, the government will deregulate water, electricity and gas prices which will go through the roof.
A video clip of yesterday’s protest in front of the Ministry of Human Capital in Buenos Aires captures the anguish of the situation. A distraught protester shouted to young police officers who were trying to calm him down, but who were also clearly rattled by what he said: “They’ve taken our food, we can’t eat, there’s no food for the children, don’t you understand? This will happen to you too! Don’t you understand?” The Ministry of Human Capital has cut off food deliveries to food kitchens and has also stopped providing cancer drugs to hospitals. Minister Sandra Pettovello refuses to meet with organizations that work with the poor saying that such “intermediaries” are probably corrupt.
Another video blogger reported today that fist fights are commonplace on buses between drivers and passengers who can’t pay the full fare but must ride the bus to get to work. Just in the past week, rail and healthcare workers went on strike for 24 hours demanding wage increases and the national teachers’ union, CTERA, called a general strike for Feb. 26 although it hasn’t been confirmed yet. The CGT and CTA trade union federations are already discussing calling another general strike, that would be larger than the Jan. 24 one that mobilized 1.5 million people nationwide.
