By Matt Willgress, Labour Friends of Progressive Latin America
The far-right Javier Milei coming to power in Argentina has shaken socialists, democrats and anti-fascist campaigners not only in that country, but throughout Latin America and indeed the world.
Although he claims to be an anti-establishment figure, he is in fact a tool of US capital, and is simply repeating a hardline version of the economic policies that for the past forty years have facilitated the global transfer of wealth from working people to the super-rich and the corporate sector.
In particular, the Milei regime has launched a policy package with 360 legal reforms to radically deregulate and liberalize the economy through a Decree of Urgent Need (DNU). If approved, it will also allow him to govern in “economic emergency” until December 31st, 2025.
It includes ‘reforms’ such as the suspension of labour contracts in the public sector, the privatisation of state companies and a radical reactionary change to labour laws, which will dramatically weaken the rights of workers and their trade unions.
These labour ‘reforms’ include an extension of workers’ probationary period from three to eight months, a reduction in the amount of compensation payable for unfair dismissal and a reduction in the time allowable for maternity leave.
All in all, the Decree privatises state-owned assets, sells off national resources, suppresses the right to protest and deregulates the housing market.
Described by the opposition as an unconstitutional, Milei’s Decree also seeks to axe some 7,000 jobs in the public sector, especially hitting workers in healthcare, social security and the civil service.
This example of ‘Thatcherism on steroids’ has been actively rejected by Argentine mass social movements and trade union organizations across the country.
This growing opposition is even more urgent, as in addition to trade unions Milei is also known to have the country’s women’s, LGBTQ+ and environmental movements in his sights.
This week, the Association of State Workers (ATE) had a “day of struggle and mobilization” on January 15th against the public sector dismissals, against attacks on their retirement benefits and to reject any attempt to privatize the pension system.
Next week, the General Confederation of Labour (CGT) has called a general strike on January 24th to oppose Milei’s proposals for labour law reform and privatisation.
Alongside these mobilisations, Estela De Carlotto, the president of the legendary Grandmothers of Mayo Square, has told the country’s Parliament that approval of the Decree would mean “a huge setback” for Argentina, saying: “We ask legislators to use their memory and reject the so-called ‘Omnibus Law.’ It is not acceptable for the Executive branch to be able to modify an unprecedented number of norms that would affect essential rights of all Argentinians.”
The 93-year-old human rights champion also warned that the new wave of neoliberal reforms could severely impact Argentinians in their access to health, housing, education, or culture.
The Decree has also faced opposition in the legal sphere, with the CGT trade union centre achieving a major victory over the President with the courts suspending the labour law reform. Additionally, in December, La Rioja Province governor Ricardo Quintela requested the Argentine Supreme Court declare the Decree unconstitutional, arguing that it causes “irreparable harm to the citizenry” by being contrary to various articles of the Argentine Constitution and Article 26 of the American Convention on Human Rights (ACHR).
In terms of rights and civil liberties, the Decree would allow Milei to increase prison sentences for those who organise or participate in street protests.
Already, the police have closed avenues in Buenos Aires to prevent the passage of thousands of people participating in a peaceful protest against Milei called by the CGT. Six people were detained as part of a riot police operation approved by the Security Minister and Justice Minister of Buenos Aires, which Pagina 17 reported, “resulted in a show of police sweeping away those who were leaving the demonstration, including journalists reporting live.”
And with Milei having already said that protestors should face either “prison or bullet,” international movements will need to be vigilant against authoritarian attacks against our Argentinian comrades.
As well as in Argentina itself, Milei’s ultra-reactionary agenda has faced opposition from both social movements and governments across Latin America. The latter have generally shifted to the left in recent years, with Lula making his opposition to Milei’s agenda clear and President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela describing Milei as “eliminating all rights” of the Argentine people and “ending the economic sovereignty” of his nation, “turning Argentina into an economic colony.”
Meanwhile, here in Britain, a number of prominent labour movement and cultural figures have endorsed a solidarity statement, saying: “The election of far-right Javier Milei as President of Argentina represents a clear and present danger to Argentinian trade unions and indeed the overwhelming majority of Argentinian people.”
Warning of “great struggles to come against a presidency which threatens authoritarianism, climate change denial, extreme austerity and social discrimination,” the campaigners declare their support for the Argentinian CGT’s strike actions, and pledge to support all those resisting the far right, concluding that “their fight is our fight.”
The statement has been initiated by the Campaign for Trade Union Freedom plus Labour Friends of Progressive Latin America. Initial signatories include MPs Apsana Begum, Richard Burgon, Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana, plus union general secretaries Gawain Little (GFTU,) Maryam Eslamdoust (TSSA,) and Sarah Woolley (BFAWU).
• Add your support at https://bit.ly/argentinageneralstrike
Image: Javier Milei. https://roarnews.co.uk/2023/the-day-after-milei-whats-next-for-argentina/. Creator: Mídia NINJA Copyright: (CC BY-NC 4.0) Mídia NINJA. CC BY-NC 4.0 DEED Atribuição-NãoComercial 4.0 Internacional
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