A protest by retirees in front of the Congress of Argentina, accompanied by football fans, labor unions, and social movements, ended in the largest police repression since Javier Milei assumed the presidency in December 2023. The retirees, mostly living in poverty due to low incomes, demanded an update of pensions, restoration of medication coverage, and continuity of the pension moratorium that expires in March.
During the demonstration, a group of retirees attempted to approach the square shouting slogans against the government and security forces. Among them, Héctor, holding a sign that proclaimed "Enough of silent genocide," shared that he lives on a minimum pension and expressed: "We are defending our rights, and we want this starving government to leave." Liliana, another regular attendee of the Wednesday protests, reproached an officer for the repression, urging him to help instead of repress.
The demonstration was affected by police repression with tear gas and beatings of protesters. These actions resulted in injuries, arrests, including seven union members, and an atmosphere of growing tension. The retirees, accompanied by fans from different football teams, found themselves in the midst of an unexpected scene of violence.
The police charge, described as unprecedented, was triggered when the police dispersed the protesters on Rivadavia and Hipólito Yrigoyen avenues, which had been peacefully blocked. Testimonies collected at the site recount scenes of violence such as a retired person pushed to the ground and an 87-year-old woman beaten. As the repression progressed, some protesters reacted by throwing stones, and a police vehicle was set on fire amid the confusion.
The day culminated with police intervention and a climate of tension in the streets, carrying with it criticism of the repression and displays of solidarity among the protesters. The mobilization of the retirees had the support of various social and union sectors, creating an event that marked a turning point in the treatment of protests in Argentina under Milei's government.
