Amnesty International has delivered a sharp rebuke of President Javier Milei, warning that his government has entrenched a model in which social control outweighs the protection of human rights.<\/p>\n
In its latest to Amnesty\u2019s annual assessment, the international rights watchdog\u2019s chapter in Argentina said 2025 marked a turning point, with the state prioritising repression while scaling back its social obligations.<\/p>\n
Milei’s so-called \u2018chainsaw\u2019 austerity policies became \u201ca defining feature of governance, applied without human rights impact assessments or democratic participation mechanisms, and with direct consequences for people\u2019s lives and physical integrity,\u201d said Amnesty International Argentina in a press statement.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Public spending fell by more than 41 percent in real terms between 2023 and 2025, said Amnesty, reaching its lowest level in two decades. The NGO said the cuts were not evenly distributed: sectors tied to basic rights \u2013 including \u201chealthcare, education, housing and social security\u201d \u2013 were among the hardest hit, while security and intelligence budgets were largely protected.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis model sends an unequivocal message: the state has chosen to impose austerity precisely on those it should be protecting,\u201d said Mariela Belski, executive director of Amnesty International Argentina, in the statement.<\/p>\n
The organisation warned that the rollback of public policy has coincided with a tightening state grip on dissent. It cited growing criminalisation of protest, harassment of journalists and the stigmatisation of critical voices, alongside repeated use of force to disperse demonstrations.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeaceful protests continued to face increasing restrictions and violent repression, including the unlawful use of force,\u201d said the NGO.<\/p>\n
Press freedom has come under particular strain, noted Amnesty, which cited at least eight cases of legal action against reporters and a broader climate of hostility towards the media.<\/p>\n
At the same time, violence against women remains persistent, said the NGO. According to a state registry, 228 femicides were recorded in 2024 \u2013 one every 39 hours \u2013 while support services for victims have been scaled back.<\/p>\n
Amnesty said barriers to accessing abortion have \u201cincreased alarmingly\u201d and warned of a broader dismantling of gender policies since late 2023, including setbacks in sexual and reproductive health and comprehensive sex education.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe state\u2019s purchase and distribution of essential supplies to guarantee access to abortion has been suspended since December 2023,\u201d noted the NGO.<\/p>\n
Amnesty also noted that Milei\u2019s government \u201cwithdrew Argentina\u2019s candidacy for the UN Human Rights Council for the 2026\u20132028 period.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the impact of austerity has been felt most acutely by vulnerable groups, with older people and those with disabilities disproportionately affected by spending cuts.<\/p>\n
The report also criticises Argentina\u2019s climate policies as \u201cgrossly insufficient,\u00bb warning that government action falls far short of what is required to address the crisis.<\/p>\n
\u201cArgentina remained mired in an economic and social crisis, with 31.6 percent of the population living in poverty and unemployment reaching 6.6 percent,\u201d it noted.<\/p>\n
Two years into Milei\u2019s Presidency, Amnesty concludes that the deterioration in rights reflects a broader political project to redefine the role of the state, reducing its responsibility for social protection while expanding its coercive capacity.<\/p>\n
The findings form part of the global report presented by Amnesty\u2019s secretary general Agn\u00e8s Callamard, who warned of a wider international trend towards \u201canti-rights\u201d governance and the erosion of democratic safeguards.<\/p>\n
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