Argentina's President Milei Faces General Strike Over Austerity Measures

Despite widespread protests and accelerating inflation, Milei retains significant public support as he pushes for drastic economic reforms.

Argentina's President Javier Milei faced a one-day general strike organized by the country's biggest union, CGT, and joined by other unions, social groups, and political opponents, including the Peronist party.
Milei, a self-declared 'anarcho-capitalist,' has proposed drastic reduction in state spending and economic and labor law changes to address the country's budget deficit and high inflation rate, which finished 2023 at 211%.
Milei issued a decree in December to revoke or modify hundreds of existing laws to limit the power of unions and deregulate the economy, but a court ruling has put the labor changes on hold.
Despite the strike and accelerating inflation, Milei retains the support of more than half of respondents in two separate polls conducted this month.
Analysts suggest that while the one-day strike is not an existential threat to Milei's presidency, it could be a sign of future resistance to his austerity measures.