call for general strike in January against the new president’s ultraliberal reform program

For the first time in 40 years of democracy in Argentina, a president must face a general strike just a month and a half after coming to power.

Hector Daer, general secretary of the CGT – the main trade union center in Argentina which claims 7 million members – announced, Thursday, December 28, at a press conference a general strike to protest against the first decrees and bills of the presidency ultraliberal attitude of the new president, Javier Milei.

A mobilization is also planned before Parliament which will then examine the deregulatory bills “which go against the whole of society” and concentrate “all public authorities” on the president, Mr. Daer said. This mobilization, continued the union leader, aims in particular at “decree of necessity and emergency” published on December 20 by the government, paving the way for massive deregulation of the economy, but “illegal and unconstitutional character”.

“This decree attacks the individual rights of workers, collective rights, a universal and united health system, and an incalculable number of subjects who constitute our country”insisted Mr. Daer. “In less than a week, they transform Argentina and bring us back to pastoral Argentina”he denounced.

“Omnibus law”

Javier Milei, ultraliberal and “anarcho capitalist” as he describes himself, has since his inauguration on December 10 published a decree to deregulate the economy through the repeal of some 300 standards. A decree technically in force from Friday, but subject to further approval by Parliament.

He also continued his “liberal” momentum by submitting to Parliament on Wednesday a detailed set of projects or modifications of laws, affecting a multitude of areas of the public and private sphere: a jumble of fiscal to electoral, to the day of work, the calculation of pensions, the control and sanctions of demonstrations, or the establishment of a “express divorce”.

This vast package of reforms, known as the “omnibus law”, must also be examined by Parliament, and legal opinions differ on the actual time – months, even years according to some – that it would take to examine the approximately 600 articles. .

Another question concerns the outcome itself of the parliamentary process on certain controversial provisions, with a parliament without an absolute majority in either chamber. And where Milei’s party, Libertad Avanza, is only the third force – even if it can count on the support of the center-right bloc, the second in importance.

Demonstrations and legal recourse

The mobilization did not wait, however, with three demonstrations in a little over a week in Buenos Aires, and several legal appeals filed against the emergency decree of December 20. Including some by the CGT itself on Wednesday.

A first series of austerity measures announced in the early days of the Milei presidency are already in effect, and with an immediate effect on the Argentines’ wallets. Thus the devaluation of more than 50% of the peso, the national currency, and the reduction from the beginning of January in transport and energy subsidies, resulting in an immediate increase in prices destined to affect the daily lives of several million Argentines .

The objective for the government is the drastic reduction of Argentina’s chronic budget deficit, mired in inflation at 160% over one year.