Thousands March in Paraguay to Defend Public Education Amid Budget Cuts

On Tuesday, thousands of university students, professors, workers, and human rights defenders took to the streets of Paraguay to defend public education and protest budget cuts to universities by the far-right President Javier Milei. The protesters marched from the Congress to Mayo Square, an iconic site of Argentine social struggle, under the slogan "In defense of free public university."

The vice president of the National Interuniversity Council (CIN) explained that the budget cuts will leave universities with less than 50% of the resources needed to cover maintenance costs, effectively halting all infrastructure projects. The secretary of the National Federation of University Professors (CONADU) stated that the defense of free public university is the primary reason for the protests.

The ongoing budget cuts affect 57 university institutions, over 250,000 teachers and administrative staff, and 2.5 million students across the country. The University of Buenos Aires (UBA) recently declared a "budgetary emergency" and warned that it can only function for a few months due to the economic crisis and high inflation.

Why this matters: The massive protests in Paraguay highlight the growing discontent with the far-right government's austerity measures and their impact on public education. The budget cuts threaten the accessibility and quality of higher education for millions of students in the country.

The march, which drew thousands of participants from various sectors of society, underscores the importance of public education as a fundamental right and the need for adequate funding to ensure its sustainability. As one protester stated, "We are here to defend the right to education for all, regardless of their socioeconomic background. Public universities are the backbone of our society, and we cannot let them crumble under the weight of budget cuts."

Key Takeaways

• Thousands protest in Paraguay against budget cuts to public universities.
• Cuts will leave universities with less than 50% of needed resources.
• Protests involve students, professors, workers, and human rights defenders.
• University of Buenos Aires declares "budgetary emergency" due to crisis.
• Protesters defend public education as a fundamental right for all.