Argentina and Chile face labor and budget disputes

In Argentina, the government of Buenos Aires province has warned of potential salary deductions for teachers participating in strikes organized by dissident groups that lack formal legal representation. Minister of Government Carlos Bianco distinguished between strikes led by legally recognized unions and those by smaller groups like Suteba Multicolor or the Association of Teachers of the Province of Buenos Aires. This tension follows a 24-hour strike by the Frente de Unidad Docente Bonaerense (FUDB) protesting violence in schools and demanding wage improvements.

In Chile, Senator Juan Luis Castro has criticized the 2027 Budget proposal for a significant reduction in funding for the Ricarte Soto Law. The proposed cut of over $28 billion pesos represents a 14.45% real decrease in resources allocated to Fonasa for high-cost medical treatments, affecting approximately 84,000 patients with serious conditions such as Crohn's disease and certain cancers.