Tens of thousands demonstrate against Milei cuts to university budgets

Lead

Tens of thousands of Argentines took to the streets in cities across the country on Tuesday to protest funding cuts by President Javier Milei's government to the public university system. The demonstrations, the fourth such national protest since Milei took office in late 2023, were sparked by the government's refusal to implement a congressional funding law and its recent announcement of further cutbacks in state education and health spending, as reported by Al Jazeera and the Buenos Aires Times.

Coverage Comparison

Reports from Al Jazeera, the Buenos Aires Times, and Deutsche Welle all described massive crowds marching in major cities including Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Mendoza and Tucumán, converging on the Plaza de Mayo in front of the presidential palace. Organizers claimed 600,000 protesters in the capital and 1.5 million nationwide, according to both Deutsche Welle and the Buenos Aires Times. The protest was covered by a combination of AFP, AP, and Reuters reporting, as indicated by the Al Jazeera article's byline.

Key Claims

The central issue is a university funding law passed by Argentine Congress. Congress approved legislation to finance universities' operating costs and raise academic salaries in line with high inflation, according to multiple sources. The government, however, refused to implement it and is challenging it in court, per Al Jazeera. Some reports, including from Deutsche Welle, note that Congress approved two laws – one in 2024 and one in 2025 – and that Milei vetoed them; parliament then overturned the vetoes, but the government still refuses to enforce the legislation.

Protesters and university groups are demanding compliance with the law, which they say is essential to address severe budget shortfalls. A key statistical claim, corroborated by multiple sources, is that university professors' salaries have fallen by about a third in real terms since Milei took office. One report from Al Jazeera puts the figure at roughly 33% after adjusting for inflation.

Perspectives

Government position: According to Al Jazeera, President Milei argues that public spending has been bloated by decades of reckless expenditures and corruption under left-leaning predecessors. His administration has requested Supreme Court intervention in the funding dispute. An undersecretary for university policy, Alejandro Alvarez, dismissed the march as "completely political," asserting that the government had already compensated universities increased their budgets, although unions claim those increases come far short of needs.

Protesters' view: Demonstrators, including students, teachers, and opposition supporters, expressed deep concern over the impact defunding, warning of eroding quality of education and access. 24-year-old law student Sol Muniz told AP, "University is a source of pride for us. It is best thing we have." This view is echoed by nutrition teacher Ludmila, who said, "Public university is a source of pride... that everyone can attend regardless... is something we must defend," as reported by Buenos Aires Times.

Context: Argentina's public universities have been tuition-free since 1949 and have produced five Nobel laureates, notes Al Jazeera. The current protest follows a series of corruption allegations against the administration, including an investigation into lavish spending by Cabinet Chief Manuel Adorni, which has heightened public disquiet amid fairing popularity and a shrinking economy with falling real wages and rising unemployment, per Al Jazeera.

While the Buenos Aires Times also reported that the protest took place less than 24 hours after the government announced further cutbacks in state education and health in general, reflecting a broader austerity drive under Milei.