The conflict at Lustramax, a company producing and distributing cleaning products, has become a troubling snapshot of how certain business sectors operate in Argentina under the Milei government. Mass layoffs without cause, persecution of union delegates, and open violations of mandatory conciliation were combined with something even more serious: the illegal intervention of the National Gendarmerie in a workers' assembly and the emergence of a para-state network that articulates private interests with the state's repressive apparatus. In other words: a lobby group with business, media, and political influence to run campaigns against workers and secure illegal favors from the state. In January 2026, a major operation by the National Gendarmerie took place at the gates of the Lustramax factory in the district of Malvinas Argentinas (Buenos Aires Province). Officers from this force formed a cordon at the entrance, just meters from workers in permanent assembly, and remained there until 2 PM. The official reason was a 'meeting regarding union blockades.' However, the Gendarmerie's intervention was illegal. During the conflict, the company Lustramax, led by the Sosa family, used the dispute as a pretext to discipline its workers and test a deeper plan, supported by the Movement of Entrepreneurs Against Blockades (MEAB), its political connections, and its ability to 'activate' the National Gendarmerie outside the law. The workers' actions prevented the company's plan and the justice system dismissed criminal charges against the UOM delegates. This case confirms a serious and illegal modus operandi by the company and lawyer Florencia Arietto, the main organizer of MEAB. They are also using it as an example of the application of the future labor reform being prepared by the national government. At the heart of the conflict is the workers' demand to respect the collective bargaining agreement, the rejection of a 14-hour workday, and fair pay for work done. The MEAB's central goal is not to resolve the Lustramax conflict but to advance a criminal case for a potential eviction that would serve as an example to the entire working class. They want to turn this conflict into a 'laboratory' that imposes 'resolutions' on labor disputes at the whim of companies, through extralegal actions and the illegal use of public force as if it were a private one. The company Lustramax itself declared over $9 billion in profits in its three financial statements. Thus, a resolution to the conflict is possible, but they prefer a path that serves the MEAB's goal: making an example of the workers. To understand either scenario, one must grasp the connection between Arietto, MEAB, and the Ministry of Security, which remains under Patricia Bullrich. From its origins, far from being an 'apolitical movement,' it included PRO militants among its organizers. In its own public statement, Lustramax openly and in writing admits to ignoring mandatory resolutions to show they are above the law and ministerial decisions if they are not to their liking. The MEAB's modus operandi is based on the criminalization of conflicts. The current Milei government continues to apply this protocol, which is even more illegal than the 'Anti-Picket Protocol' suspended by the courts weeks ago. What is at stake is not only the labor and union rights of these families but also preventing this 'laboratory' from becoming the norm.
