The extended debate over the “Bases Law” will have a new chapter outside the National Congress. This Thursday, from 1 p.m.social organizations grouped in the Union of Workers of the Popular Economy (UTEP), left-wing parties, grassroots unions and picket groups, they will gather to demand that the deputies not vote on the modifications that were introduced to the project, which already had half a sanction from the Lower House before it passed through the Senate, so that it “falls.” From the Ministry of Security, headed by Patricia Bullrich, they recalled that the anti-picket protocol will be enforced “as always” and that at least three federal forces (Gendarmery, Federal Police and Prefecture) will participate in the operation. The City Police will also do it.
The deployment of troops, infantry, special groups, motorized brigades and water trucks will depend on the number of militants mobilized.
In principle, a lower attendance is expected than on June 12, the date on which it was debated in the Upper House and incidents of extreme violence were recorded around the Legislative Palace. Hooded activists set fire to several cars, one of them Chain 3and they engaged in hand-to-hand combat with the police officers.
That day, the surroundings of the National Congress became a battlefield in which Protesters and security forces clashed throughout the afternoon.
Social organizations, picketers, left-wing, Peronist, human rights, neighborhood assemblies and unions also demonstrated against the Ley Bases (Bases Law) that was being debated in the Senate. The aim of the attack was to interrupt the session. They didn’t make itThere were more than 30 arrests, most of which were released by order of the court. The damage was estimated by the city government at more than 200 million pesos.
The organizations will arrive at Plaza Congreso in a staggered manner. First will the UTEP, composed of delegations from the Evita Movement, the Classist and Combative Current, the Movement of Excluded Workers and Barrios de Pieamong others. Their columns, which will arrive in vans and public transport, are called for 13:00.
A few hours later they will do it Worker’s Pole and other groups of the Piquetera Unitsuch as the Front of Struggling and Free Organizations of the South.
Besides, State workers from ATE will also be present from 2pm in the vicinity of Congress. Rodolfo Aguiargeneral secretary of the national ATE, spread the call for the union’s national board of directors from his account on X and denounced: “The labour reform “The inclusion of the law is absolutely regressive and will not contribute to creating more jobs or improving current economic and social indicators. We workers refuse to be laboratory rats and to be experimented on with harmful and delirious theories that have already failed all over the world.”
Silvia Saravia, national leader of the latter organization, told Infobae that they will demonstrate against the parliamentarians because “the Bases Law and the fiscal package that are being debated are frayed with respect to the first intentions of the government of Javier Mileibut they continue to favor the wealthy sectors, the powerful sectors, and to the detriment of the rights of the popular sectors. In addition, they grant tax benefits to those who will have an extractive profile of our natural resources.”
An hour later, at 3 p.m., supporters of the forces that make up the Left Front, including the MST and the MST-Teresa Vive, will arrive at the corner of Callao and Rivadavia. They plan to hold an “open radio” on the sidewalk that faces Entre Ríos Avenue, in front of Congress. The slogans: “No to the basic law” and “Freedom to political prisoners”, for the six detainees who are still accused of the June 12 riots.
The Polo Obrero, whose main leader is Eduardo Bellibonialso called for protests to begin at 2 and 3 p.m., although it is likely that the first contingents will arrive earlier. The same will happen with the MST, which usually arrives earlier to hang the banners in the first line of vision.
In a statement, several of the organizations calling for the demonstration said: “The approval of the law by the deputies would reinforce the government’s deflationary policy, increasing the recession. For workers, the Ley Bases implies the virtual elimination of labor rights, including the end of severance pay and the introduction of work with invoices, harming collective bargaining and employment contracts. It will be a boost to the self-employed and the atomization of the working class, with the collaboration of the union bureaucracy, which has waited until the last moment to oppose it.”
The climate that seems to prevail among the protesters is different from that of two weeks ago. On that occasion, they had publicly expressed their intention to “resist” the anti-picket protocol and “bring down the Ley Bases”. They had also anticipated that the senators who voted in favor of the project promoted by Libertad Avanza would be “traitors to the country”.
Minister Bullrich had also anticipated that the federal forces she commands would not be intimidated and would only prevent activists from cutting off the arteries.
This time, the picket leaders decided not to make threats and called for the protest, almost in silence, through social networks and press releases. They also did not hold the usual press conference to call for the measure at the Obelisco in Buenos Aires or in front of the Legislative Palace. The cards in the chamber seem to be thrown in favor of the Government of Javier Milei and their presence in the vicinity of Congress would become almost symbolic. We will have to wait and see how the day evolves. For now, the police presence, at the beginning of the day, will not be numerous to avoid provocations. But they will be alert a few blocks from the place.
