CGT, CTA and UTEP drive nationwide protests against Milei's policies
On July 22, 2026 a coordinated wave of demonstrations swept Argentina. The Confederación General del Trabajo (CGT), the two wings of the Central de Trabajadores de la Argentina (CTA) and the Unión de Trabajadores de la Economía Popular (UTEP) marched in Buenos Aires and in dozens of cities – La Plata, Rosario, Córdoba, Mendoza, Tucumán, Santa Rosa, Mar del Plata and others – demanding higher pension payments, a recomposition of retirement benefits and the restoration of the "Volver al Trabajo" program that had been cut for roughly one million workers.
The protests featured road blockades, popular kitchens and cuts of traffic at key access points such as the Avenida Rivadavia‑Rodríguez Peña intersection, the Autopista Buenos Aires‑La Plata and Ruta 2 into Mar del Plata. Organizers announced a multi‑month plan of escalated actions, including a march on August 7 for San Cayetano, a rally at the Ministry of Economy in August, an industry march on September 2 and the possibility of a general strike if the government does not respond.
Labor leaders from Camioneros, the textile union AOTRA and regional CGT fronts echoed the central call, while political figures such as Axel Kicillof’s movement joined the march. The demonstrators framed the campaign as a defence of the social safety net against what they describe as the Milei administration’s “adjustment” and anti‑labor reforms.