Argentina: New President Javier Miley launches plan to deal with protests

He promised “shock” and is proving it almost every day: the government of newly installed ultra-liberal President Javier Miley announced on Thursday a “protocol” to deal with the “absolute chaos” of social demonstrations with road blockades. , increasing the range of police action and committing to “pay the organisers”.

Security Minister Patricia Bullrich, who already held this position under the liberal presidency of Mauricio Macri (2015-2019), announced measures and future legislation aimed at preventing “cuts, pickets, roadblocks” that affect activities and “prevent Argentines from living.” in the world”.

According to the minister, Argentina, and in particular Buenos Aires as a whole, is the scene of hundreds of demonstrations with traffic routes blocked every year, and in some provinces sometimes “daily.”

Sanctions against those who bring their children

From now on, all federal forces will be able to intervene in a demonstration blocking a transport axis, and not just the base police, provincial or metropolitan. “The force used will be the minimum necessary but proportionate to the resistance,” she said.

The government is also committed to making organizers pay: “An invoice for this system will be sent to the responsible organizations or individuals. The state will not pay for such use of security forces.” In addition, sanctions will apply to parents who bring children or teenagers to demonstrations. “Anyone who uses children as a shield will have serious consequences,” Patricia Bullrich said.

Miley’s government announced the first round of austerity measures on Tuesday, including a shock devaluation of more than 50% of the peso and cuts in transport and energy subsidies starting in January. Measures that, coupled with inflation that has already reached 160% for the year, are designed to seriously affect the purchasing power of Argentines. Miley himself agreed that the situation would “get worse in the short term” before bills and the economy improve.

“Plan of People’s Aggression”

Trade unions and civil society groups have already warned that the working world “will not stand idly by” in the face of “explosive purchasing power”. The most important radical left social movement, Polo Obrero, condemned the “plan of aggression against the people.”

Vice President Victoria Villaruel, for her part, called on unions to be “cautious,” warning them against “a certain degree of aggressiveness or social conflict,” while the “four-day government” measures have only just been announced and for some have yet to materialize .

The first “street tests” are expected on December 19 and 20, when mobilizations will be held in memory of the traumatic “Great Crisis” of 2001. On Thursday, following Bullrich’s statements, several media outlets emphasized that a similar anti-demonstration plan had already been launched, but without much effort. success under the Macri government.