San Francisco Frontiers - Argentine protesters, police clash at demo over university funding

The main demonstration by thousands of students, teachers, trade unionists and opposition activists remained peaceful.

But dozens of mostly hooded demonstrators who broke away from the crowd lobbed stones and other projectiles at the police, who responded with tear gas and water cannon.

The demonstration comes after days of strikes, university protests and court rulings aimed at compelling Milei's government to comply with a 2025 law on increased university funding.

Milei, who took office in December 2023, has prescribed a diet of strict austerity for the Argentine state as part of his zero-deficit policy. He has increased spending on education, but at a far smaller rate than inflation.

Public spending on universities fell by 41 percent in real terms in the first half of this year compared to the same period in 2023, according to the Center for National Economic Research of the University of Buenos Aires.

A 2025 law provided for inflation-linked salary increases dated to December 2023, as well as the restoration of student scholarships and more funding for university operations.

The protesters carried placards with slogans such as "Milei, uphold the law" and "Public university education is a right, not a privilege."

"We are demanding that they pay us what they owe us," Francisca Staiti, general secretary of the teachers' union Conadu Historica told AFP.

The University Funding Law was vetoed by Milei but later ratified by parliament.

The government has never implemented it, despite various court rulings, including a Supreme Court decision in June, ordering it to do so.

Presidential spokesman Adrian Ravier said on Tuesday that the law was "suspended" while the government pursued legal action.

Thursday's protests were the fifth over university funding since Milei took power in late 2023.

mry-pbl/cb/mjf

O.Green--SFF