MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine opposition sides with workers amid Milei's adjustment policies

CFK, Kicillof, and Massa agreed that it was a sad Workers' Day

Former Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner (CFK) Thursday issued a Workers' Day message on X, criticizing President Javier Milei’s government for eroding labor rights and reducing wages to 2001 levels. CFK pointed out the “declared intention of Milei's government to continue sweeping away rights” and called on “to remain united in the defense of the right to a dignified life, with work as a tool for progress.”

“This is a difficult Workers' Day for the great national majorities” due to the historical loss of the purchasing power of wages, which “is at 2001 levels,” she said. “In this context, it is more necessary than ever to remain united in defending the right to a dignified life, with work as a tool for progress. And so we can dream again of a country where upward social mobility allowed that, for decades, Argentines had the certainty that their children would live better than them,” CFK further noted.

She also referenced her prior critique of Milei and International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva for supporting the Libertarian government to perpetuate poverty and underdevelopment. “You need us like this... indebted and underdeveloped; in a model of planned misery, sustained by your dollars and legitimized with your speeches,” CFK told Georgieva on social media. Additionally, she also accused Georgieva of meddling in local politics by urging Argentines to vote for Milei's La Libertad Avanza (LLA) in the upcoming mid-term elections.

Meanwhile, Buenos Aires Province Governor Axel Kicillof pledged to shield workers from Milei’s policies, which he says threaten their future. Kicillof also said he would file a complaint before the IMF, given Georgieva's alleged stance regarding local politics.

Former presidential candidate and Economy Minister Sergio Massa urged workers to unite, emphasizing that Argentina thrives on their daily efforts. He referenced a historic speech by Juan Domingo Perón, reinforcing the ongoing relevance of solidarity. On social media, Massa insisted that “nothing great was ever built without the effort, commitment, and hope of those who work.”