Argentina witnessed massive political upheaval on Wednesday (Mar 12), with politicians punching each other in parliament over the crypto scandal and protesters taking to the streets against President Javier Milei’s austerity measures.

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What happened in parliament?

Representatives Oscar Zago and Lisandro Almirón engaged in a heated altercation led to an exchange of blows inside the chamber. 

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The incident forced the suspension of the session in which the referral to committee of ten projects was approved to probe the cryptocurrency $LIBRA case involving Milei. However, the attempt by political movement Kirchnerism to move forward with the impeachment trial did not succeed.

The local media reported that the government managed to postpone the commission on the cryptogate scandal during the Wednesday’s session, which had started with a tense atmosphere as the ruling party blocked the investigation into memecoin scandal to protect the president. However, when the Unión por la Patria (UxP) bloc moved forward with its plan to initiate the impeachment proceedings, it rekindled tensions over the chairmanship of the Impeachment Commission.

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Although the Kirchner administration lacked support for the impeachment proposal, the discussion started following the Bahía Blanca emergency declaration, which was unanimously approved when the head of the Peronist faction Germán Martínez requested a vote on the ratification of the Impeachment Committee's authorities.

As President of the Chamber of Deputies, Martín Menem, tried to delay the discussion, the Libertarians, the PRO, and the Radicals left their seats. Meanwhile, Lisandro Almirón, from Corrientes, tried to unseat the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MID) Oscar Zago, who contributed to the quorum during the session, resisted and began throwing punches at Almirón, according to local media reports.

Soon chaos surrounded the parliament which led to the session being adjourned.

Pensions protest

Meanwhile, hundreds of retirees joined by football fans and sympathisers have been protesting against President Milei’s austerity measures.

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According to a statement from the National Security Ministry, at least 20 people were injured and 124 were detained as the riot police pushed the crowd away near the Congress building and the landmark Plaza de Mayo using water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets.

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The protesters demand improved pensions for retirees amid Milei’s budget-slashing strict measures as they struggle to live in poverty. According to local media reports, 60 per cent of the retirees receive the minimum pension amount of $340 per month.

(With inputs from agencies)