6 months ago
30
Image source, EPA
A general view showing the 9 de Julio Avenue and the obelisk during the general strike in Buenos Aires
By Leonardo Rocha & Jaroslav Lukiv
BBC News
A general strike against public spending cuts has affected most of Argentina, where schools, banks and many shops remained closed.
Train and metro services were suspended on Thursday, with a limited bus service running.
One of the main union leaders, Hector Daher, said the 24-hour strike was a wake-up call to President Javier Milei.
Mr Daher urged him to review some of the cuts to subsidies and social programmes.
Mr Milei, a right-wing economist, has begun implementing comprehensive austerity measures since coming into power in December.
He says his measures are necessary to reduce Argentina's public deficit and control the country's inflation rate, which is the highest in the world at nearly 300% a year.
The president criticised the strike, saying his government had already made many concessions to the unions.
Image source, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstoc
Image caption,Train services were halted in the capital Buenos Aires - as seen in this photo - and across Argentina on Thursday
Image source, EPA
Image caption,Airports across the vast country were empty...
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,...as many flights were either cancelled or diverted
Image source, EPA
Image caption,In Buenos Aires, the Subte underground - used by more than one million people every day - was also shut
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,Only limited bus services were running
