Argentine students protest university funding cuts

Hundreds of thousands of Argentine students protested on Oct. 2, against President Javier Milei's significant spending cuts to public universities. The protests followed threats to veto a law aimed at securing university funding amid a severe economic crisis with inflation near 240% and over half the population in poverty. Ricardo Gelpi, head of the University of Buenos Aires, accused the government of having a systematic plan to dismantle public education. Milei's administration has defended the cuts, labeling public universities as "socialist" indoctrination centers, despite their strong reputation. After the protests, Milei's office reiterated its intention to veto any proposals that threaten fiscal stability. Gelpi criticized the cuts saying they amount to a minimal part of the economy and are not that impactful, while Piera Fernandez from the FUA university federation stressed that education spending is an investment. Previous protests led to a reconsideration of budget cuts, but university leaders report that the government has not delivered promised improvements. The Ministry of Human Capital asserted its commitment to public universities, claiming they have not been defunded. However, according to the University of Buenos Aires, university teachers and non-teaching staff have lost around 40% of their purchasing power since December, and deterioration continues. Watch CGTN LIVE on your computer, tablet or mobile https://cgtnamerica.vhx.tv/videos/hd-live-broadcasts Subscribe to CGTN America on YouTube Follow CGTN America: Twitter: @cgtnamerica Facebook: @cgtnamerica Instagram: @cgtnamerica TikTok: @newstoks This material is distributed by MediaLinks TV, LLC on behalf of CCTV. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.