On Tuesday, hundreds of thousands of protesters in Argentina marched in defense of public universities. This marked a significant turning point in the presidential mandate of Javier Milei, as his first four months in power have been characterized by high-impact decisions aimed at reducing the fiscal deficit and shrinking the state.
The privatization agenda seems to have found its first limit with the public university. The free public higher education system is one of the few remaining pillars that still stand and provides hope for a better future for their children. Images of classes taught in dark classrooms or outside due to lack of funds have outraged people across political lines, including Peronists, left-wing voters, radicals, macristas, and even repentant milleistas.
Milei accused teachers of indoctrinating and brainwashing students based on her reading, which has sparked controversy. However, it is important to note that Milei graduated from a private university herself and failed to consider the impact that public universities have had on many families in Argentina. Public universities are also respected throughout Latin America and provide an opportunity for upward mobility despite the high cost of studying a degree elsewhere.
The budget allocated for public universities is already insufficient due to inflation approaching 300% year-on-year. The government attempted to disqualify the protest by claiming that resources had been allocated for administrative expenses during March and April; however, this did not address the problem with frozen teacher salaries being a significant portion of expenses. The rectors denied this agreement and argued that there were no resources allocated specifically for them.
The middle class played a leading role in all those large protests and also participated in this Tuesday’s demonstration. Milei spent Tuesday retweeting messages from accounts that mocked or attacked protesters, further alienating her from those who support the free public university system. However, some representatives from Macri’s party spoke out against Milei’s actions while others remained silent.