Argentine university students, scientists and professors protested Thursday night outside of Congress in the capital, Buenos Aires, to reject cutbacks in public funding for science and technology.
ANALYSIS:
Neoliberal Nightmare of Mauricio Macri
The cuts are included in the 2017 budget that has been submitted by President Mauricio Macri and will reduce the government's budget for science and technology by 32 percent.
"In the widest margin for science and technology, it implies a cut of US$400 million in the specific case of the Science and Technology Ministry, a nominal cut in dollars of 32 percent with which, in general terms, it puts at risk the normal functioning of the system, the projects that are underway and it becomes impossible to initiate new research projects," said Dr. Ignacio Sabbatella, an investigator with Conicet, the National Council of Scientific and Technical Investigations.
Protesters carried banners that read "Don’t send us to wash the dishes," evoking the controversial statements of former Minister of Economy Domingo Cavallo. The ex-official served during the right-wing government of Carlos Menem and controversially said that scientists, instead of demanding more funding, should clean dishes instead.
GALLERY:
Remembering Nestor Kirchner
The Argentine state supported thousands of scientists during the left-wing governments of Nestor Kirchner and Cristina Fernandez from 2003 to 2015. During that period, the country made several scientific advances, including putting communications satellites into orbit.
Macri assumed office in December, triggering an abrupt reversal in the Keynesian economic policies of his predecessors.
The new conservative administration has been plagued by nationwide protests over a series of neoliberal reforms, including mass layoffs, attacks on critical media outlets and the criminal prosecution of political opponents.