Retirees and pensioners led a protest outside Congress on Wednesday as demonstrators took to the streets to express their rejection of the veto issued by President Javier Milei striking down the pension mobility law.
Marchers gathered at 3pm in the vicinity of the National Congress and, from there, began a rally towards Plaza de Mayo.
Tensions, however, boiled over as police and security forces attempted to implement the Security Ministry’s ‘anti-picket’ protocol, under which streets must not be blocked.
Wednesday’s flashpoint came verbal confrontations between demonstrators and the authorities. Trouble broke out at the corner of Combate de los Pozos and Rivadavia avenues, in front of the annex of the Chamber of Deputies, with pushing and shoving. Police forced protesters back, beating demonstrators and using tear gas.
At least 30 people were injured in the clashes, said the Security Ministry in a statement, including nine police officers. Two arrests were made.
The rally, designed to put pressure on the Casa Rosada and Congress, is the second set of clashes in two weeks. Last Wednesday, police also rushed protesters and demonstrators outside the gates of the Legislative Assembly, hitting them with truncheons.
Backed by left-wing parties and social organisations, pensioners’ groups have presented a strong list of demands to President Javier Milei’s government.
Among their main demands are the rejection of a veto issued last week by President Milei that blocked the application of a Pension Mobility Law, which would update the formula used to calculate payments.
Protesters have demanded an emergency increase of at least 900,000 pesos for retirees and an automatic mobility formula adjusted to inflation and wages, to ensure that pensioners' incomes maintain their purchasing power in the face of economic turmoil.
The groups have also called for the reinstatement of rules ensuring medicines remain free to users of the PAMI state health scheme.
“The government vetoed an increase of misery for retirees, whose purchasing power is at an all-time low,” complained left-wing deputy Vanina Biasi on Wednesday. “‘It has also made health care costs considerably more expensive, which is why many people no longer buy medicines.”
The chaos outside Congress led to the early conclusion of Cabinet Chief Guillermo Francos’ testimony to the lower house Chamber of Deputies.
Making his first appearance before lawmakers in his new rule, Francos was providing a report and responding to more than 3,000 queries on a wide range of topics.
His presentation came to a premature end, however, when deputies from the Unión por la Patria deputies withdrew from the chamber and headed outside.
"It is not possible to continue in session with the Cabinet chief while pensioners are being repressed in front of Congress. It is incomprehensible that such a peaceful demonstration should end with this repression," said deputy Germán Martínez.
Minutes before, Frente de Izquierda lawmakers had vacated their seats to join the demonstration.
According to congressional reporting, “pro-dialogue” deputies in the lower house are already in talks to request a special session for next Wednesday, in which they will attempt to overturn Milei’s veto and insist on the introduction of the pension reform they backed last month.
Regulations state that both chambers must secure a two-thirds vote of those present in order to reject the president's veto.
– TIMES/PERFIL/NA
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