The government of Argentina’s ultra-liberal new president, Javier Millay, announced on Thursday a “protocol” to combat the “absolute chaos” of protests, especially those that block roads, announcing the expansion of the range of action of law enforcement forces and announcing that “they will they pay” those who “organize them”.

Security Minister Patricia Bullrich, who was in the same position during Mauricio Macri’s days in office (2015-2019), announced measures — and soon a law — to prevent “traffic interruptions” of “pickets”, “barricades”, which according to her, they affect the economic activity and disturb the social “peace” in the Latin American country.

Argentina, especially the Buenos Aires metropolitan area, becomes the scene of hundreds of protests that disrupt traffic each year; demonstrations are “daily” in some areas, Ms. Bullrich said.

From now on, all federal law enforcement forces will be able to intervene if a demonstration closes a road, he announced, not just local police forces, whether in the provinces or the capital.

“The force that will be used will be the minimum necessary, but proportional to the resistance” that will be shown, he added, and “the account” of the action of the law enforcement agencies “will be sent to those responsible”, whether they are “organizations” , whether they are “persons”: “The state will not pay for the use of force by the security forces”, he added.

Ms Bulrich also said there would be penalties for parents taking their children or teenagers to protests. “There will be consequences for those who use children as shields,” the minister said.

The government of Javier Millay announced on Tuesday a first wave of austerity measures, notably the huge devaluation of the peso (–50%) and the drastic reduction since January of state subsidies for transport and energy. Measures which, combined with inflation now reaching 160% annually, will hit hard the purchasing power and standard of living of many citizens of Argentina, a country where already 40% of the population lived below the poverty line.

President Millay himself admits that the situation “will get worse in the short term”, before there is an improvement in the fiscal situation and the economy.

Trade unions and social organizations have already warned that the world of work “will not stand idly by” as “purchasing power dynamits”. Major social movement of the radical left, Polo Obrero, immediately denounced Security Minister Bullrich’s “anti-popular attack plan”.

Vice President Victoria Villarreal, for her part, told the unions to show “prudence”, warning against any “aggression”, or promotion of “social conflict”, as the first measures of the “four-day government” have just been announced.

A first “test” for the new government “on the road” is expected on Tuesday 19th and Wednesday 20th December, when commemorative movements are planned for the traumatic “great crisis” of 2001.

Argentinian media pointed out yesterday, after Mrs. Bullrich’s announcements, that a similar plan to suppress mass mobilizations had been implemented, without particular success, during the days of Mauricio Macri in the presidency.