600,000 Protest Milei's University Cuts in Buenos Aires as New Austerity Measures Loom
Updated
Updated · Buenos Aires Times · May 13
600,000 Protest Milei's University Cuts in Buenos Aires as New Austerity Measures Loom
11 articles · Updated · Buenos Aires Times · May 13
600,000 people joined Tuesday's university march in Buenos Aires, organizers said, filling Plaza de Mayo less than a day after the government announced more cuts to education and health spending.
University groups are pressing for a funding law indexed to inflation, but Milei vetoed the 2025 measure and has asked the Supreme Court to intervene while insisting fiscal balance takes priority.
40% salary losses cited by teachers' unions and a 30% drop in purchasing power reported by staff have fueled the unrest; UBA's science faculty has been on strike for three months and university hospitals warn of collapse.
Protests also spread to Córdoba, Mendoza and Tucuman, while Milei's party called the rally opposition-driven and said the 2026 university budget will rise to 4.8 trillion pesos.
After vetoing a university funding law, can President Milei withstand the growing backlash from Argentina's academic world?
With 10,000 academics gone, is Argentina's 'brain drain' an irreversible side effect of its economic shock therapy?
Can a U.S. bailout save Argentina's economy if its government continues to dismantle its own research institutions?
Argentina’s Public University Crisis: Mass Protests Erupt as Milei’s $1.8 Billion Education Cuts Trigger Brain Drain and Threaten Scientific Future
Overview
In May 2026, mass protests erupted across Argentina as President Milei’s government pushed forward drastic funding cuts to public education and scientific research. These cuts triggered significant public outrage and mobilization, with scenes of outdoor classes and demonstrations nationwide. The loss in purchasing power forced hundreds of research professors to leave public institutions for better-paying jobs, threatening the quality and future of Argentina’s higher education and scientific progress. This crisis highlights a direct link between government austerity, academic exodus, and the growing risk to the country’s tradition of accessible, high-quality public education.