Argentine retirees dispersed by security forces as priest Paco Olveira assaulted

Retirees gathered for their weekly protest in front of the Argentine National Congress, demanding pension adjustments, the restoration of medication benefits and rejecting the government's austerity measures. Security forces, including Gendarmería and the Federal Police, moved in to disperse the crowd with pushbacks and tear‑gas canisters.

During the operation, priest Francisco “Paco” Olveira, a member of the Curas en Opción por los Pobres group, was seized by the neck and thrown to the ground by Gendarmería officers. The incident was captured on video and shared on social media. Olveira has previously been attacked during similar protests in 2025 and early 2026. The demonstration took place on the eve of Argentina’s semifinal World Cup match against England, drawing retirees, social and religious groups together in the capital.