Submitted by Elizabeth Fleming on the 2018 fall semester program in Buenos Aires, Argentina…
For those who haven’t been following international news as closely due to everything happening within the United States, the financial situation in Argentina is only growing worse as time passes (here’s a link explaining the financial crisis and what could come of it). Last Tuesday, Argentines carried out a general strike that was widespread throughout the whole country. This meant that all public transportation, many stores, most schools (public universities have been shut down for months, but private ones like the one I am attending also closed for the day), and other institutions were shut down in order to protest what is happening and demand change (here’s another link discussing the strike more in-depth). It is upsetting to see the country in such a state of unrest, and unsettling to hear the stories and worries of those who live here. Seeing the whole country join together to strike and watching on the news as mass numbers marched demanding change was a unique experience in collective action and hopefully will have a positive impact on the government’s actions to change what is going on in the country.