WITH the economy on the brink of total collapse, this week has seen Argentina in the news, and another wave of international attention on its far-right President Javier Milei.

Since taking office in late 2023, Milei has been one of the main faces of the international reactionary right wing, with Elon Musk infamously appearing alongside him, brandishing a “bureaucracy chainsaw” on stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference in the US earlier this year.

Milei’s cuts to public services and investment have gone deeper than those pushed by even governments with the most enthusiastic commitment to neoliberal economics — including a 28 per cent cut from the health budget, and the departments of Education, Social Development, Culture, and Labour all being scrapped and replaced by a single Ministry of Human Capital.

This has been accompanied by a rolling back of workers’ rights, with a presidential decree attempting to introduce minimum service levels of between 50 and 75 per cent during industrial action across various sectors (both public and private). Environmental funding has also been drastically reduced, with some scientists having to find extra sources of employment to supplement their salaries. 

Milei has also strongly aligned his foreign policy with that of the US, and has been an enthusiastic ally of Donald Trump’s wider political project. The long history of coups against democracy in Latin America (including in Argentina, whose period under the military junta of 1976-83 Milei described as “a war in which some excesses were committed”) gives his tenure an edge beyond standard right-wing populism, however.

Indeed, Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro (who Milei has spoken of having “an almost natural affinity with”) was recently found guilty of involvement in the attempted coup designed to stop Lula da Silva from returning to office after his electoral victory in 2022. Although Bolsonaro denies having taken part in “a coup, [which is] something abominable,” he has acknowledged having discussed “alternative ways” to stay in power.

In these difficult conditions, there has still been significant mobilisation against the government’s policies of austerity, privatisation and weakening of rights in Argentina — with April seeing a general strike which shut down all domestic flights for the day.

Retired workers have called weekly demonstrations outside the national congress over the cuts in their pensions — even being joined by a united front of football supporters from both Boca Juniors and River Plate (two clubs which share a long and bitter rivalry), who were met with water cannons and tear gas by police officers.

As well as action at an industrial level, there has also been a notable political fightback in recent months over the case of Cristina Kirchner. Her tenure as president, and that of her late husband Nestor, combined economic policies of greater public ownership and state investment with an approach to foreign affairs based on regional integration and alliances with other progressive administrations coming to power across Latin America. 

Kirchner is currently serving a sentence of six years’ imprisonment and a lifetime ban from public office over allegations of corruption, which she has described as “a practical demonstration of Lawfare in Argentina.” International Trade Union Confederation general secretary Luc Triangle has argued that her conviction amounts to “political repression, which marks another step in the billionaire-backed coup against democracy. The use of the courts to remove political opponents is a dangerous tactic that threatens workers’ rights and democratic institutions.”

Due to both her age and security factors, Kirchner, who was the target of an assassination attempt three years ago, has so far been permitted to serve her sentence under house arrest.

This has led to a remarkable set of solidarity demonstrations being held outside her home, drawing some of the largest numbers Argentina has seen in some time, with a spokesperson for her press team claiming that over 500,000 people had gathered in her Buenos Aires neighbourhood as part of the Argentina With Cristina rallies. In a video message played to those in attendance, she declared: “We will be back with more wisdom, more unity, more strength.”

Recent weeks have seen some of the most significant setbacks for the Milei government to date, including a defeat by over 13 per cent in the capital’s local elections (a contest he had previously declared would be “the last nail in the coffin” for Kirchnerism).

The national congress also overturned a presidential veto aimed at blocking greater funding for pensions and disability support, the first time such action has been taken in two decades. Investigations are also continuing into the $Libra cryptocurrency, which the president publicly endorsed in February — leading to a quick rise in its value followed by a spectacular drop when the founders sold their holdings a mere five hours later.

In a struggle that reflects some of the major trends being played out across large parts of the world today, it is clear that the future of Argentina will be fought on various fronts, with the legitimacy of a vision for a better society on the line. 

Ben Hayes is a volunteer with numerous Latin American solidarity campaigns.

An event will be held in Liverpool, Viva la solidaridad: Stand with Latin America Against Trump, on Monday September 29 at 6.30pm, with Martina Pesce, Argentinian campaigner against the far-right, Francisco Dominguez, Maria Perez Ramos, Morena supporter, Mexico, Richard Burgon MP, Jess Barnard, Labour NEC, Louise Regan, NEU, Gawain Little, GFTU, John McDonnell MP. Register at bit.ly/LatinAmericaSolidarityLiverpool.