Business Owners and Unions Hold Dual Protests Over Closures and Household Debt

On National Businessman's Day, small- and medium-business owners marched to Plaza de Mayo denouncing the closure of 30,633 companies (about 6% of the total) since Milei took office in December 2023, according to Fundar. A parallel march by workers, unions, and social organizations converged on the same square before continuing to the Ministry of Economy, protesting rising household debt as families increasingly rely on credit to cover daily expenses. The two protests shared space despite representing normally opposed constituencies — business owners and organized labor — both citing the strain of Milei's austerity program on Argentine households and small enterprises.