Original article: «Va a ser una Navidad triste”: jubilados y colectivos de la discapacidad protestan frente al Congreso en la Argentina de Milei

«A Sad Christmas Ahead»: Retirees and Disability Groups Protest Against Milei Government at Argentina’s Congress

A new protest in front of Argentina’s Congress yesterday gathered retirees, social organizations, and groups related to disabilities, who demanded their rights and expressed opposition to President Javier Milei’s government.

The mobilization took place amidst sweltering temperatures exceeding 32 degrees Celsius and a strong security operation including Federal Police, Gendarmería, and Coast Guard, with health workers from Hospital Garrahan and representatives from the Union of Workers in the Popular Economy (UTEP) joining forces.

The protesters raised a unified demand: that the so-called «libertarian» administration reverse current austerity policies affecting pensions, restore previously approved increases, and reinstate basic suspended supplies. They expressed that the government’s actions directly threaten the daily living of a historically vulnerable sector.

“Everything is so difficult. Many people are being laid off, creating anxiety and helplessness in thousands of Argentine homes, and that’s very bleak, very harsh,” a retiree told C5N.

“It’s going to be a sad Christmas. A kilo of beef is 20,000 pesos, and 10 kilos for a family amounts to 180,000. Humble people and retirees will truly have a sad time,” indicated another retiree, reflecting on the low purchasing power of seniors receiving the minimum pension of just $410,879 (equivalent to 280 dollars).

Another protester reminded everyone that the fight for retirees’ rights has been ongoing for a long time, labeling the extreme-right government as “the worst of all, having taken the most from retirees and workers, while also repressing protests.”

Next to her, Olga, a retiree who marches every Wednesday to demand her rights and denounce the abuses and policies applied by Milei, urged Argentine citizens to join the mobilization. “Let’s grow in numbers every day (…) we come to defend our rights. Prices are rising daily, and the miserable amount we earn is simply not enough,” warned the elderly woman in comments recorded by Página/12.

Since taking office on December 10, 2023, Javier Milei has intensified austerity policies against retirees, pensioners, and recipients of non-contributory benefits through his neoliberal economic measures. According to Argentine media, this December, the libertarian administration will again pay a bonus that has been frozen for 21 months at 70,000 pesos (48 dollars), despite the continuous inflation increase in the southern nation.

Retiree Collapses During Protest at Congress

Amid the protest, a 70-year-old retiree named Fernando collapsed in public, possibly due to a combination of stress and heat, according to reports from CN5.

His fellow protesters indicated that besides being a retiree, he is also disabled, having had his pension cut about six months ago.

After collapsing, Fernando received assistance on site from fellow participants, while an ambulance took 25 minutes to arrive due to street closures from the security operation.

People with Disabilities Protest Against Milei and Demand Rights

Wednesday’s protest coincided with Disability Day, which also saw a group of individuals with disabilities and organizations advocating for their rights march to Congress under the slogan «Against all cuts to our bodies and existences.»

During the demonstration, they raised their voices for a series of demands, including the implementation of the Emergency Law—necessary to relieve financial constraints on support institutions—and the cessation of austerity measures on pensions after a federal court ruling mandated the restoration of nearly 200,000 pensions that had been cut.

“It’s terrible that the Emergency Law, enacted in Congress and later vetoed, continues to remain unfulfilled. We feel a tremendous indignation. The only thing the government has given is an increase that is half of what should be provided to the service providers, but it is doing nothing regarding pensions and is not complying with the law, which is very serious. The government is likewise failing to adhere to the University Financing Law. It’s awful how a government explicitly decides not to comply with a law,” stated Edgardo, a retiree and father of a young man with autism, to Página/12.

Members of the organizations involved in the protest noted that their primary goal was to bolster their presence in public spaces and keep their demands active. Ana Valverde, a leader of the Union of Retired Workers in Struggle (UTJL), made it clear that they will continue to mobilize to «stand up for their rights» and protest against President Javier Milei’s government.