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7 months ago
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Javier Milei's libertarian government was rocked by riots in Argentina's capital on Wednesday as furious protesters hurled rocks at police and a water canon was deployed amid raging unrest against the new president's austerity measures.
The protesters, who represented Argentine social organizations, interrupted traffic on 9th of July Avenue – one of the main streets in Bueno Aires – in the morning, defying Milei's protocol that prohibits roadblocks.
The capital's police department responded by deploying multiple water cannons against members of the Popular Economy Workers Union (UTEP).
Cops lined side-by-side on the main road and blocked the protesters, including some who hurled rocks at police before they were stopped from advancing and dispersed from the area.
Milei, who took power in December on the promise of fixing the busted economy, is facing resistance to stinging cost-cutting measures, including scrapping 15,000 state jobs.
Members of social organizations clash with the police during a demonstration against the recent economic measures introduced by the government of President Javier Milei in Buenos Aires on Wednesday. At least two police officers and a media outlet worker were injured and 11 people were arrested
A demonstrator throws a stone at a demonstration over government job cuts in Buenos Aires
A police officer shoots rubber bullets to demonstrators in Buenos Aires on Wednesday
Demonstrators clashed with police in riot gear Wednesday in the Argentine capital city, Buenos Aires
Protesters marched down 9th of July Avenue, the main avenue in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, on Wednesday to denounced cuts to public sector jobs and improvement to soup kitchens
The 53-year-old has eliminated energy and transportation subsidies, paused public projects, stopped making payments to provincial governments and devalued the peso by over 50 percent to close the gap between the official exchange rate and the black market rate.
On April 3, workers were notified that they were being laid off from their jobs at multiple state agencies - including the ministries for the economy, energy and social security.
At least two police officers were injured and 11 people were arrested, Clarín newspaper reported.
Cronica TV said one of its reporters was shot on the mouth by a rubber bullet.
Buenos Aires Minister of Secutiy, Diego Kravets, told TN news channel that the protesters coordinated their advancement towards the 9th of July Avenue. One person was seen attempting to set a car on fire.
'We spoke with the people who organize and tried to have dialogue, but they did not want to dialogue,' Kravets said. 'When they started cutting (through), we imperatively requested that they stop the violation. When they don't respond, we start (to push back). We acted, we cleared the avenue and now we can move forward.'
Footage taken by local television channels showed protesters throwing sticks and stones at police officers.
Hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets in Buenos Aires, the Argentine capital city, to protest a wave of government job cut in the public sector and the demand of resources for soup kitchens
Police advance to disperse an anti-government protest against food scarcity at soup kitchens and against economic reforms proposed by President Javier Milei in Buenos Aires on Wednesday
Demonstrators protest against Argentine President Javier Milei's economic plan, and in demand of resources for soup kitchens in Buenos Aires on Wednesday
One cop, who appeared to be injured, could be seen being dragged away by his partner.
In an interview with La Nación news channel, Buenos Aires Minister of Justice and Security, Waldo Wolff, denied that discrepancies between national and capital authorities over security policies have caused a lack of coordination that led to the protesters blocking the wide avenue where the Ministry of Human Capital is located, in charge of social policies that have registered strong cuts.
Woff stressed that the repression of the protest was carried out in coordination with the national government and warned that the capital police will act as many times as necessary to clear any blockage of public roads.
The protests of the organizations demanding more food for the soup kitchens where impoverished families go had been taking place without the total blockade of the avenue where the Ministry of Human Capital is located and with most of the protesters concentrated on the sidewalks or surrounding parks.
The security protocol that came into force a few days after President Milei took office on December 10 enables federal forces to evict or disperse protesters who impede the transit of people or means of transportation, partially or totally, on national routes and other traffic routes.
Police use a water cannon to disperse demonstrators who tossed objects in Buenos Aires
Police officers detain a demonstrator during a protest against Argentine President Javier Milei's economic plan on Wednesday
Its critics maintain that it violates the rights to free assembly and association and freedom of expression.
The protocol establishes that agents may intervene without a court order.
More and more families go to soup kitchens managed by left-wing or Peronist social organizations, overwhelmed by the liquefaction of their income in a context of rampant inflation.
The price increase is around 276 percent annually, which has increased poverty, which affects around 42 percent of the population of more than 46 million people.
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