Violence Erupts in Buenos Aires as Protestors Clash with Police over Milei’s Labor Reforms
BUENOS AIRES — Tensions reached a boiling point in the Argentine capital today as thousands of demonstrators took to the streets to voice their vehement opposition to President Javier Milei’s controversial labor reform package. The protests, organized by the powerful General Confederation of Labor (CGT) and supported by various left-wing groups, descended into chaos outside the National Congress, marking one of the most significant challenges to the libertarian administration since it took office.
The unrest coincides with a critical legislative session in the Senate, where lawmakers debated the sweeping “modernization” bill. As the session progressed, the atmosphere on the streets grew increasingly volatile. Demonstrators, chanting slogans against what they termed “austerity for the workers,” breached security cordons, prompting a heavy-handed response from federal police.
Security forces deployed water cannons, tear gas, and rubber bullets to disperse the crowds after protestors began hurling stones, bottles, and Molotov cocktails at police lines. Authorities confirmed that at least 15 people have been injured in the skirmishes, including four police officers, while approximately 30 individuals were detained for public disturbances and attacking law enforcement personnel.
At the heart of the conflict is a legislative overhaul that the Milei administration argues is essential to revive Argentina’s stagnant economy. The proposed reforms seek to extend probationary periods for new employees, reduce severance payments, and limit the power of unions to negotiate collective bargaining agreements. The government contends that the current labor framework is “obsolete” and discourages formal hiring, leaving nearly half the workforce in the informal sector. “One of the reasons jobs are not being created is an obsolete labor law,” stated Security Minister Patricia Bullrich, defending the administration’s push for deregulation.
However, union leaders view the measures as a direct assault on constitutional rights. The CGT issued a statement denouncing the bill, arguing that it “is not modernization, but a stripping of rights that leaves workers vulnerable to arbitrary dismissal.” They fear the reforms will effectively criminalize the right to strike and facilitate mass layoffs in a country already grappling with severe inflation and economic instability.
Despite the violence outside, the Senate proceeded with the vote, eventually approving the measure in a general vote of 42 to 30. The bill’s passage in the upper house is a significant victory for the ruling La Libertad Avanza party, which had to negotiate concessions—such as removing a proposed corporate income tax cut—to secure support from provincial allies. The legislation will now move to the Chamber of Deputies for final consideration, where opposition lawmakers have vowed to continue their resistance.
As smoke cleared from the Plaza del Congreso this evening, union representatives signaled that today’s mobilization was only the beginning of a sustained campaign against the reforms. With the lower house debate looming, the confrontation between the Milei government and Argentina’s organized labor movement appears far from over.
* hindustantimes.com
* batimes.com.ar
* washingtonpost.com
* aljazeera.com
* citynews.ca
* mercopress.com
