Argentine police arrest at least 25 at Buenos Aires university funding protest

Clashes outside Congress

The main demonstration outside parliament by thousands of university students and staff, trade unionists and opposition activists remained peaceful, AFP reported. Dozens of mostly hooded demonstrators broke away and threw stones and other projectiles at police, who responded with tear gas and water cannons. The clashes lasted about an hour. One placard urged: "Let's occupy the streets, like in France!"

Protesters demanded implementation of the university funding law, higher salaries and bigger budgets for public education, Outlook India reported. Victoria Coronel, a student at the University of Matanza in Buenos Aires province, told AFP that teachers leave because their salaries are not enough, while Francisca Staiti, general secretary of the teachers' union Conadu Historica, said: "We are demanding that they pay us what they owe us."

Milei has justified his vetoes of inflation-linked spending increases by arguing that "there is no money" to fund them. The protest was the fifth over the education funding crisis since he took power in late 2023.

The funding law

The 2025 University Funding Law calls for inflation-linked salary increases dated to December 2023, the restoration of student scholarships and more funding for university operations. It requires the government to put more money into public universities. Congress adopted it, Milei vetoed it and parliament overruled the veto. His vetoes of bills to boost funding for state universities, people with disabilities and children's healthcare were all overturned by opposition lawmakers, the BBC reported. The government has never implemented the law, despite court rulings including a Supreme Court decision in June ordering it to do so.

Public spending on universities fell by 41% in real terms in the first half of this year compared with the same period in 2023, according to the Center for National Economic Research of the University of Buenos Aires.

Milei, a libertarian, has bet his mandate on balanced budgets. His deep cuts to public spending have affected public hospitals, universities and pensioners in particular, AFP reported. Annual inflation fell from more than 211% in 2023 to 32% by September 2025, The Guardian reported, while poverty climbed above 50% before easing to 31.6%.

Government response

Presidential spokesman Adrian Ravier said the law was "suspended" while the government pursued legal action. Security Minister Alejandra Monteoliva accused protesters of "wanting to sow chaos." She said "the right to protest is not a right to exercise violence."