“That Thursday May 29 He woke up tense. Some unions began to leave the factories before eleven in the morning. At that time the government ordered that transportation leave the downtown area. The Luz y Fuerza workers of the Central Administration intended to organize an event and They were attacked with gas bombs. Once again, indiscriminate repression violently prohibited the right to assembly, expression, and protest. Meanwhile, columns of workers from the automotive industry factories were arriving in the city. They attacked them all to disperse them.”
“The business closed its doors while the streets were filling with people. Around noon, the news of the murder of a colleague from the Mechanics’ Union began to sound, Maximum Mena. And that was the trigger for the popular outbreakthe rebellion against so many injustices. The police began to retreat and no one was controlling the situation anymore. It was the people, the union and student bases, it was the awareness of everyone demonstrating in the streets against so many prohibitions and postponements.”
The first-person memory of that autumn day in 1969 in Córdoba belongs to one of its exclusive protagonists: Augustine Toscoorn union leader of the Luz y Fuerza guild, member of the CGT of the Argentines and one of the main promoters of Cordobazothe day they came together tworkers and students to protest the policies of the dictatorial government of General Juan Carlos Onganía.
The application of minister’s plan Adalbert Krieger Vasena with measures such as suspension of collective bargaining agreements and the salary freeze It acted as a catalyst, especially in the Mediterranean province, which in those years concentrated the automotive and metalworking industries. One resolution in particular was the trigger: the repeal of “English Saturday”a law that established double payment for every hour worked after 1 p.m.
History repeats itself again
Fifty-five years laterthe same coordinates that promoted that fateful day of struggle, will converge again this Tuesday, when a march to complain about the critical situation that many of the houses of higher education are going through and to ask that salaries and budget are updated for inflation intended for the academic training of thousands of students.
The Buenos Aires’ University (UBA) – one of the institutions calling for the university march – at the beginning of April declared itself in budget emergencymaking it one of the institutions that demands an increase in the national budget, the implementation of an educational ticket and a salary increase for teachers and non-teachers.
In turn, the National Interuniversity Council (CIN), which brings together all national public universities, warned that “not to take actions that rectify the course” on the part of the Government, it will be seen “seriously affected the operation” of the entire educational system.
The federal march in defense of the public university is anticipated to be massive. The mobilization will be attended by students, teachers and authorities, with the participation of leaders not only from the academic field, but also from the cultural, artistic, journalistic, and union fields, including the CGT, the CTA and social organizations.
In that context, the gnational government – far from seeking approaches that could avoid the clash – warned that it will impose the anti-picket protocol during the day, despite the fact that the organizers presented a request to the Security portfolio of the City of Buenos Aires, which remains in contact with its counterparts in the national administration in view of the operation.
From the ministry that leads Patricia Bullrich They assured that they will maintain the “same posture as in all marches”, and that will aim to prevent cuts and thus avoid complications for the circulation of citizens; while the organizers announced that it will be “impossible” walk down the sidewalk.
At mid-afternoon this Saturday, Javier Milei He returned to the fray with his provocative preaching through social networks with a new attack against public universities. “Hello everyone…!!! Let’s see, I would like to have the opinion of the Salamins who write indignant letters denying that public universities are used to do shady business and indoctrinate…”, The president stated through the social network X.
The president shared a post from journalist Gabriel Anelloin which he stated that Diego Molea, rector of the National University of Lomas de Zamora (UNLZ), “who was going to be Minister of Justice of Massa” destined “the games you receive” for “pay salaries to players and coaches of the Temperley Club, a club that he uses as a political support”.
Libertarians concerned about possible chaos
Within the libertarian leadership there are sectors “very worried” for Tuesday’s march. “The university students are not the picketers, nor the union members, we have to avoid that confrontation because it can take us away”an official deputy with direct access to the main offices of the Executive told Data Clave. “Any repressive episode that gets out of hand can cause irreparable damage.”added the legislator.
Within the hard core of the LLA deputies there are several “very critical” of the “irrational postures” from other members of the block to whom “They care very little about institutions” and they think that “You can govern with the campaign speech, and that is impossible”. To illustrate this scenario, the source uses a metaphor that it describes as “strong”.
“Argentina has a cancer, which is the politicians and Milei is the most powerful chemotherapy to combat it. Now you cannot always live with chemo, you have to end the cancer and prepare to govern with the institutions. For that there are two paths: either we turn to the traditional politicians who survive, or we empower the rational wing of our own because, let’s agree that there are many in our space who are deranged and with whom we cannot build anything.”graphic.
The exposed fracture that was evident this week in the hearts of the ruling parliamentarians, as a result of the increase in allowances that the senators themselves approved; added to the still unresolved conflict of the presidency of the Impeachment Commissionwhich still remains without recognized authorities despite the election of Marcela Pagano, questioned by the members of its own space, are sufficient proof of the permanent instability that mileismo displays.
Special session on Wednesday in Deputies
With the signature of 24 national deputies, the block of Union for the Homeland requested the head of the Corps, Martin Menema special session next Wednesday, April 24, to discuss the modification of the Budget with an update aimed at the items for national universities.
“Financing of universities, the Teacher Incentive Fund and retirements cannot wait“They indicated in a message published on the social network X along with the details of the agenda to be discussed, sent to the president of the Lower House, Martin Menem.
This week, student organizations debated with legislators from UP, the FIT, the UCR and HCF, where they demanded that “The university system is going through a deep crisis, caused by the 72% budget reduction”which has negatively impacted “teaching and non-teaching salaries, the suspension of infrastructure works, the lack of updating of student scholarships and the general functioning of the institutions”.
The demonstrations over the financing of national higher education institutions take place within the framework of the decision of the President of the Nation to extend the 2023 Budget for the period 2024 through DNU 88, and cut State expenses in favor of achieving the fiscal surplus.
The discomfort in public universities due to the lack of budget in the midst of adjustment and inflation increased after the CIN plenary session where Education officials told rectors throughout the country that they should cut “superfluous expenses”. The end of that assembly was with the confirmation of the march this Tuesday, April 23.
The Government tried to deactivate the march, letting it be known in the media that it had reached an agreement with the rectors to increase operating expenses. However, the university authorities came out to deny such an agreement and ratified the call for the demonstration next week.
“We have to prevent the blood from reaching the river, on Tuesday during the march Patricia has to calm down and avoid the disaster that would be a violent repression against a social sector that we should not confront, if they get out of hand and we have incidents serious, what happened on Wednesday could be very problematic”another deputy from the ruling party joined Data Clave.
