Milei reacts on social media after students' march

Wednesday, April 24th 2024 - 09:40 UTC

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Milei claimed tears of lefties were shed during the demonstrations

Argentine President Javier Milei turned unusually overactive on social media Tuesday afternoon after packed street demonstrations nationwide in defense of of tuition-free college education in what was dubbed the Federal University March.

Milei mostly reposted messages from different government officials and Libertarian followers revolving around the idea that the funding had been wired and that now the university boards would have to account for every peso spent.

Milei also focused on several demonstrators not looking like students but rather like protesters for hire with relayed messages such as: “Any doubt that it is a political march and not a student march?”

“The political caste hijacked education. CGT, Kirchnerism, Communist Party: the worst of politics using public education to attack the Government. Those who do not see it is because they do not want to. Let's defend public education, but we are going to eliminate the political kickback,” Libertarian Ramiro Marra wrote.

Buenos Aires Governor Axel Kicillof, former presidential hopeful Sergio Massa, and former Buenos Aires Mayor Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, as well as labor union leaders Hugo Yasky and Pablo Moyano, were among the demonstrators.

In this scenario, Milei referred to the protest as “a glorious day for the principle of revelation” where everyone showed his or her true colors. ”Whoever wants to hear (see) should hear (see) .... Viva la Libertad Carajo,” Milei insisted as he said that tears of the lefties were shed during the various rallies nationwide which according to local media summoned around one million people.

Argentine University Federation (FUA) President Piera Fernández de Piccoli stressed that convening at Buenos Aires' iconic Plaza de Mayo after marching past Congress from the Houssay Square between the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) Schools of Medicine and Economics proved that “we are not willing to give up our future.” Therefore, “we reject the policy of adjustment and disciplining” imposed by the Libertarian administration.

UBA Rector Ricardo Gelpi said he had participated in the event with “anguish” because he “would have never imagined” having to demand funds “that correspond to us by law.”

Meanwhile, Undersecretary of University Policies Alejandro Álvarez stressed that “public education is a right” but “auditing [the schools] is an obligation.”

“Public education is not under discussion. What is under discussion are audits, indoctrination, curros, and the crisis generated by those who governed 16 of the last 20 years...,” he argued.