BUENOS AIRES, December 21. /TASS/. Residents of the Argentinian capital took to the streets on Wednesday, banging pots to protest against President Javier Milei’s inaugural measures to liberalize and deregulate the South American country’s troubled economy.
Argentinians in four different Buenos Aires neighborhoods told a TASS reporter that they heard noise coming from the balconies of adjacent homes on Wednesday evening immediately following the conclusion of the head of state’s televised speech. TN television showed people taking to the streets in several districts of the city, while dozens of demonstrators attended an impromptu rally near the Congress building.
Addressing the nation, Milei announced he was signing an emergency decree to mandate measures for deregulating the country’s economy. The new leader unveiled 30 basic reforms, including changes to eliminate price controls and a tax reform simplifying international trade rules, as well as steps to privatize companies and facilitate exports. In all, the decree lists more than 360 separate reforms.
As well, the new Argentinian leader declared a two-year state of emergency covering economic, financial, fiscal, administrative, pensions, taxation, social and healthcare matters, which will be in effect until December 31, 2025, in a move that would serve to justify his sweeping reforms.
Earlier on Wednesday, the first large anti-government protests since Milei assumed office took place across Argentina. About 2,000 people gathered outside the government building in Buenos Aires, while prior to the march both municipal and federal police had been deployed to the downtown area of the capital city.
Last week, Argentinian Security Minister Patricia Bullrich announced zero tolerance for protest actions blocking the city’s main traffic arteries.