Chaos outside Congress as anti-omnibus protest turns violent (watching Argentina)

Hundreds of security forces fired tear gas and water cannons at rioting demonstrators outside the National Congress building in Buenos Aires on Wednesday as protesters called on senators to reject President Javier Milei’s sweeping reform plan.

Demonstrators who were protesting against the proposed reforms, which are being debated by lawmakers in the lower house, were dealt with aggressively by riot police and Border Guard officers.

As the protest turned ugly, two cars were set alight by what appeared to be protesters.

Police later said that at least 18 people, 16 men and two women, had been arrested amid the disturbances. At least three police officers were injured.

"Among those arrested is a 41-year-old man who was in possession of a grenade which is being analysed by specialised personnel. A woman was also arrested for being responsible for setting fire to government bicycles," said the City Police.

Scuffles first broke out when those rallying tried to bypass a system of fences set up between them and Congress. Demonstrators lobbed stones at officers who pepper-sprayed them in response.

Observers and opposition MPs said dozens of demonstrators and a small group of lawmakers received medical attention. Journalists were also reported to have been injured.

In a fiercely worded statement, Milei’s Office slammed the “terrorist groups” behind the violence and accused protesters of seeking to carry out a “coup d’état.”

"The Office of the President congratulates the Security Forces for their excellent actions in repressing the terrorist groups that with sticks, stones and even grenades, attempted to perpetrate a coup d'état, attacking the normal functioning of the Congress," read a brief statement released on social media.

We cheered the election of Milei for Argentina,

But the reforms needed are being me with resistance.

This will be what it is like if Trump gets back in and this is why I quietly go about preparing and prepping. They are not just going to go quietly into the night because We the People voted for President Trump.

People do not realize what Milei has done for Argentina. Most of that is due to media and its slanted reporting. The horror of horrors! How dare Milei cut spending, dismantle useless government agencies, and reduce inflation??!!

In the six months since he has been President inflation has dropped dramatically and cost of housing has actually decreased. Yes, some of the cuts are painful, especially for those who have been on the government teat for decades, but much like the U.S. it was going to have to be done eventually, either voluntarily or involuntarily. Unfortunately, the U.S. hasn’t yet learn that lesson.

“Consumer prices in Argentina rose by 4.2% from the previous month in May 2024, showing a deceleration from the 8.8% increase in the prior month, falling below market forecasts of a 4.9% rise and marking the softest acceleration since January 2022.

The slower pace of price growth was observed across various sectors, including housing and utilities (2.5% vs. 35.6%), transportation (4% vs. 6.3% in April), restaurants and hotels (5.5% vs. 7.3%), food and non-alcoholic beverages (4.8% vs. 6%), health (0.7% vs. 9.1%), communication (8.2% vs. 14.2%), education (7.6% vs. 8.6%), and clothing and footwear (3.5% vs. 9.6%).”

Also, Argentina’s consumer confidence indicator rose to 38.3 in May 2024 from 37.17 the previous month, marking the highest level in the year. The improvement stemmed from more positive assessments of personal financial situations (41.89 vs. 41.85 in April), macroeconomic situation (56.35 vs. 56.14) and intentions to purchase durable goods (16.67 vs. 13.5).

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