Anti-government protest in Argentina: 40 injured

Thousands of people gathered in front of the Congress in the capital Buenos Aires to protest against the government's Economic Reform Package and clashed with police.

Security forces responded with tear gas and water cannons to the protesters who attacked them with Molotov cocktails and stones.

In the clashes, 40 people were injured and 30 protesters were detained. Reinforced security forces were dispatched after the demonstrators marched towards the congress.

Five opposition members of parliament were hospitalized after being affected by the police's tear gas intervention.

The protest was supported by social organizations, leftist parties, pensioners, teachers and various unions.

Opposition MP Mariano Recalde argued that employees will be seriously harmed by this law and said, "The rights of employees will go back a century."

Bartolome Abdala, a lawmaker from the ruling party, emphasized the importance of the law and said that the reform package must be accepted for the sake of Argentines.

Speaking at a financial session in Buenos Aires, President Milei said, "These laws have been discussed for 6 months, if they were adopted quickly, the adaptation process would be less painful, but politics does not care about this."

Finance Minister Luis Caputo said that if the reform package is approved by the Senate, economic conditions in the country will improve faster.

The economic reform package, also known as the "Law of Fundamental Principles and Starting Points" in the local press, is considered a radical change in Argentina.
With this law, the Milei government aims to make the free market economy more dominant and reduce state intervention.

The government, which wants private sector investments to increase, also wants to introduce privatizations.

The economic reform package, one of President Milei's biggest election promises, was passed by a majority vote in the House of Representatives in April.

The law, which is still being debated in the Senate, has been severely criticized by opposition lawmakers.