WORKERS in Argentina began today to plan the next phase in their opposition to far-right President Javier Milei.

Wednesday’s massive general strike brought large swathes of the country to a standstill. 

In a strike on a scale never before seen in modern Argentinian history, workers protested against sweeping plans by Mr Milei to cut government spending, privatise public industries and slash workers’ rights.

Although the country is just weeks into the new presidency, Argentinian unions say the protests reflect the urgency of standing up against what Mr Milei has described as “shock therapy.”

Thousands of protesters swarmed the square in front of Argentina’s Congress. Some carried signs accusing President Milei of being a “traitor.”

Inflation has rocketed to a staggering 211 per cent. Elizabeth Gutierrez, a nurse, said she wanted to protest because the soaring cost of living meant that she couldn’t make ends meet.

She said: “Rents have shot up. You can’t live off your salary any more.”

Another protester, retired worker Alicia Pereyra, said Mr Milei “wants us to be slaves.”

Karina Villagra, a teacher, said: “The militancy should be stronger now than ever.”

Hector Daer, the secretary general of the largest union federation, the CGT, told a massive rally in Buenos Aires that President Milei’s decree “destroys individual rights of workers, collective rights and seeks to eliminate the possibility of union action at a time in which we have great inequality in society.”

Pablo Moyano, of the hauliers’ union, told them that “if they pass these measures of adjustment, of hunger, then the workers, retirees and the most humble people will put Economy Minister Luis Caputo on their shoulders and throw him in the river.”

President Milei responded to Mr Moyano’s comment on the X social media site: “Never was the choice so clear. We make the changes or we remain prisoners to these extortionists.”