Highlights: Argentina: faced with Javier Milei's austerity, the social climate is tense. After railway workers last Wednesday and health professionals on Thursday, a strike by teachers and the civil service is planned for Monday. Since December, more than 3.5 million Argentines have fallen into poverty, which now affects 57% of the population. “Seeing people rummaging through trash to find something to eat is truly disgusting,” says one woman. � “What does he want,” Virginia rages, “ for the population to die of hunger? The president must go! In 2001, we had a president resign, and it could happen again.”

Two months after the start of the austerity shock decreed by Javier Milei, the social situation is considerably tense in Argentina. After the railway workers last Wednesday and the health professionals…

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Argentina: faced with Javier Milei's austerity, the social climate is tense

Two months after the start of the austerity shock decreed by Javier Milei, the social situation is considerably tense in Argentina.

After railway workers last Wednesday and health professionals on Thursday, a strike by teachers and the civil service is planned for Monday.

Friday February 23, 2024, thousands of people demonstrated and cut roads across the country at the call of social organizations.

Listen - 01:17

A demonstration against Javier Milei's austerity policy in Buenos Aires, February 23, 2024. © MARIANA NEDELCU / REUTERS

By: RFI Follow

With our correspondent in Buenos Aires,

Théo Conscience

Helplessness and anger.

“

My son says to me:

“Mom, I want bread”,

but I no longer know how to feed my children, I have to decide between giving them food in the morning or at midday.

» Doli Leon works in a soup kitchen in Lomas de Zamora, in the south of Buenos Aires.

Since coming to power, Javier Milei has suspended food aid that the government was sending to some 38,000 soup kitchens in the country while the price of food jumped by 50%.

“

Before, we distributed meals three or four times a week, now only once a week.
This is also why we are demonstrating.

3.5 million more poor Argentinians

The government says it wants to overhaul the public food aid system to eliminate intermediaries.

But in the meantime, people are suffering, Susana is alarmed.

“

Food is extremely expensive, wages have not increased, and seeing people rummaging through trash to find something to eat is truly disgusting.

According to an estimate from the Catholic University of Argentina, since December, more than 3.5 million Argentines have fallen into poverty, which now affects 57% of the population.

“

What does he want

,” Virginia rages, “

for the population to die of hunger?
The president must go!
In 2001, we had a president resign, and it could happen again.

Also listenDecryption - Argentina: Javier Milei wants to continue his shock therapy

Argentina: faced with Javier Milei's austerity, the social climate is tense

Argentina: faced with Javier Milei's austerity, the social climate is tense

3.5 million more poor Argentinians

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