The largest labor union in Argentina has called for a general strike in protest against the economic reforms announced by the radical liberal president Javier Mele.
The general secretary of the General Confederation of workers, Hector Dyer, said the strike scheduled for January 24 was in protest against a decree and a package of bills proposed by Milli that would give the president “all public powers”.
Melli took office on the tenth of December, and took steps to fulfill his campaign promise to reduce public spending and radically change the economy, which is collapsing under the weight of an annual inflation rate of 160%.
The Argentine Congress is holding an extraordinary session this week to consider the package of bills put forward to activate the decree, which was unveiled last week and will come into force on Friday if lawmakers do not reject it.
The decree would change or abolish more than 350 economic regulations in a country accustomed to intensive government intervention in the market.
Javier Melli also presented to Congress this week a package of legal amendments that allow the privatization of more than 40 public companies and limit the right to assemble and demonstrate, among other things.
In the face of the growing protests, the Melli government has warned demonstrators that they will bear the costs of securing the demonstrations.
