Tens of thousands of Argentines took to the streets in major cities across the country on Tuesday to protest funding cuts by libertarian President Javier Milei to the public university system, a near-universal source of pride in this crisis-prone nation.
Massive Turnout in Buenos Aires
Vast crowds gathered in downtown Buenos Aires, marching toward the government headquarters to denounce budget shortfalls that are eroding the financial foundation of higher education. Argentina's public university system, tuition-free since 1949 and a cornerstone of its middle class, has produced five Nobel laureates.
Congress passed a law last year to fund universities' operational costs and raise teacher salaries in line with high inflation, but the government has not implemented it, challenging the legislation in court.
Milei's Criticism of Universities
Like his ally U.S. President Donald Trump, Milei has attacked university campuses as bastions of "woke" indoctrination. He has slashed public education funding as part of a broader plan to cut state spending, which he argues has fueled corruption under previous left-leaning governments.
Tuesday's protest drew people of all ages and political affiliations as Milei faces declining approval ratings amid slumping economic activity, falling wages, and rising unemployment. A series of corruption scandals has also struck a nerve, particularly an investigation into lavish spending by Cabinet chief Manuel Adorni, whose lifestyle appears inconsistent with his modest public salary.
"How much does Adorni cost us?" read one protest sign, alluding to alleged misuse of public funds.
Government Response
Milei's undersecretary for university policies, Alejandro Álvarez, criticized the march as "completely political" and claimed the government had compensated universities for higher operating costs—marginal increases that unions reject as insufficient. The administration argues the legislation fails to specify how to fund mandatory increases during fiscal austerity. The case is expected to go to the Supreme Court, with protesters urging the court to "listen to the outcry throughout the country's public squares."
Impact on Academics
Since Milei took power in late 2023, university professors' paychecks have declined by roughly 33% after accounting for inflation, according to the main teachers' federation. Ricardo Gelpi, rector of the prestigious University of Buenos Aires, said at least 580 research professors in engineering and science have left for private universities or better-paying jobs.
"It's very clear this government is determined to defund public education," said Sol Muñíz, 24, a law student at the University of Buenos Aires. "University is a source of pride for us. It is the best thing we have."
