Argentinians Organize Protest Against Bolsonaro’s Visit to their Country

By Xiu Ying, Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The demonstration is set to take place during the afternoon of June 5th in Plaza de Mayo, located in the city center of Buenos Aires, where the seat of government, Casa Rosada, is located. Jair Bolsonaro will be welcomed there by the President of Argentina, Mauricio Macri.

The protest will begin with a traditional manifestation by the group of mothers who, during the country’s last military dictatorship, organized demonstrations demanding news from the regime about their missing children, many of whom were victims of the government.

“Bolsonaro’s rise to the presidency and his continuous making of excuses for torture and discrimination have caused all of Brazil’s indicators related to racist violence, gender, femicide, homophobia, and transphobia to grow,” explained the organizers of the #ArgentinaRechazaBolsonaro (Argentina Rejects Bolsonaro) movement.

Among the groups that called for the protest are two wings of the Argentine Workers’ Center, the Argentine LGBT Federation, the National Desk for Equality and Counter-Discrimination, and the “Ni Una Menos” platform opposing violence against women.

The demonstrators also vow to protest in defense of Latin American sovereignty and solidarity, particularly criticizing the neoliberal policies of both Bolsonaro and Macri.

“The people of Brazil are suffering through a policy of adjustment, privatization, and repression that has grown in recent months. In the first quarter of 2019, the Brazilian government registered an increase of unemployment in 14 of its 27 states and a considerable increase in poverty”, the organizers stated in a written call for action.

“By choosing Macri as President, Argentina has spearheaded the new swing to the right that has been seen throughout Latin America. If he loses the election this year, we will put up resistance to these governments of poverty, repression, and death”, the movements went on to say.

This will be Bolsonaro’s first visit to Argentina. During the visit, he will discuss with Macri the bilateral agenda between the two countries, international integration, and Mercosur.

In recent interviews, Bolsonaro has criticized Macri’s main adversary, former President Cristina Kirchner, a candidate for the country’s Vice-Presidency as the running mate of Alberto Fernandez.