In Argentina's barrios, rising poverty stalks Milei's austerity drive
By Nicolás Misculin and Miguel Lo Bianco
VILLA FIORITO, Argentina (Reuters) — Debora Blanco has lived for years with her eight children in a house on the outskirts of Buenos Aires with no proper door or windows, nor electricity, mains gas, running water or sewers. Now she doesn't have enough food to eat, either.
Argentina's poverty rate topped 57% at the start of the year, one recent study showed, with millions like Blanco battling triple-digit inflation and smarting from a sharp devaluation of the peso in December that sapped the real value of people's money.
That pain in the South American country's poor barrios looms large over new libertarian President Javier Milei's aggressive austerity drive as he seeks to overturn a deep deficit and tame inflation over 250% — before losing popular support.
His plans include slashing the size of government, trimming back subsidies for fuel and transport, shutting state institutions, and auditing welfare schemes.
Milei, an economist, is calling for patience and says his tough medicine reforms are necessary. That argument propelled him to office, winning over many voters in last November's election who were tired of the economy sliding from one crisis to another.
But Argentines like Blanco won't wait forever. Already protests against Milei's spending cuts are starting to build and strikes have become a regular occurrence.
«We're in need, sometimes I don't have food or milk for the kids. Food prices are through the roof,» said Blanco, 43, who works collecting waste to recycle and receives a state subsidy.
«We will not be able to survive five or six months, as the government says. I don't believe people will be able to survive that long.»
Outside Congress on Friday, as the president
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