In an atmosphere of “We will be resistance”, this Thursday afternoon (23), several Peronist and leftwing social movements came together in the Plaza de Mayo, in the center of Buenos Aires, for the first major protest after the victory of the ultraliberal Javier Milei in Argentina.
The demonstrators chanted “Never again” and repeated joint militant chants against the dictatorship, in which they referred to Nazis. “Ole ole, ola ola, como a los nazi, les va a passa, a donde vayan los we will look” something like: Just like with the Nazis, no matter where they go, we will get them.
Hundreds of people and dozens of flags gathered at the Mothers’ March of Plaza de Mayo, which has taken place every Thursday for 46 years in front of the Casa Rosada, where the presidentelect will take office on December 10. On this day the country celebrates 40 years of uninterrupted democracy.
“Don’t step back,” shouted a demonstrator next to the tent where women with traditional white scarves on their heads were speaking, who to this day march in memory of their children who disappeared during the last military dictatorship (19761983).
Out there
“Resistance means fighting. We know that we have to stand with the people who will be unemployed,” one of them said, while scarves marked “30,000” were distributed to the public. The figure is an estimate of people killed and missing during the military regime and was denied by Milei during a campaign debate.
“It wasn’t 30,000 missing, but 8,753,” said the candidate at the time. The official figure compiled to date by the Unified Register of Victims of State Terrorism is 8,631 dead and missing between 1976 and 1983, but the report itself acknowledges that this figure is an underestimate.
Fear of job losses was another underlying theme of the protest, with Milei repeating in recent days that he would bring public works “to zero” and privatize “everything that can fall into the hands of the private sector”, including state ones Communications company. , the oil company YPF and the airline Aerolineas Argentinas.
The event was attended by groups such as ATE (State Workers’ Association), the Buenos Aires Press Union (SiPreBA) and the “Memory, Truth and Justice” movement, which brings together several human rights organizations. They also spoke of fears of suppression of protests under the new government.
Street vendor Oriana Rodriguez, 32, advertised “against Milei” by selling socks even though they were normal items of clothing. “I work on the streets, how can I not be against it? He won’t let me work, he will oppress the streets,” she said. “I don’t think he can govern, they won’t let him.”