In this context, all trade union representations of the ministry were convened to coordinate actions in defense of jobs. One of the points that raised alarms was the unification of the Undersecretariats of Macroeconomic and Microeconomic Programming, which was identified as the trigger for the layoffs. This is compounded by the workload increase in already 'depopulated' areas. ATE warns that the elimination or privatization of state functions would imply an 'immense' loss of professional capabilities accumulated over decades, and alerts to the risk of losing control over sensitive information: public accounts, debt, budget, and the State's financial management. Finally, they link this process to economic interests and denounce a context of alleged corruption involving national government officials. 'This attack is the first of several,' they alerted, while not ruling out that it could affect workers under other modalities or different sectors of the economic portfolio. During the last week, workers held assemblies as well as spontaneous 'ruidazos' (noise protests) and declared a state of permanent alert. 'The privatizing will is not just ideological: corporate interests prevail,' they stated. Workers from the Ministry of Economy assure they will continue to organize to stop the layoffs, defend their salaries, and resist what they consider a process of emptying the State. We started the noise protest at the Ministry of Economy against the forced availability transfers and in defense of all jobs. If they touch one, they touch us all!
