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Original article: Milei duplicó la represión a las protestas sociales en Argentina durante 2025

The Provincial Commission for Memory (CPM) has released its third report detailing the deployment of security forces in social protests during the first two years of Javier Milei’s presidency in Argentina and Jorge Macri’s leadership in Buenos Aires, illustrating a significant repressive shift in handling public demonstrations.

Titled “Social Protest Under Siege,” the document presents striking statistics: the number of protests met with repression doubled in 2025 compared to the previous year, reflecting a state policy aimed at «limiting the right to protest and public expression,» as reported by the organization.

The report, which monitored 139 mobilizations from December 2023 to November 2025, revealed that 51 of these (37%) were suppressed. Alarmingly, the increasing trend persists: while 17 repressed protests were noted in 2024, this number surged to 34 in 2025.

“Since the implementation of resolution 943/2023, known as the ‘anti-blockade protocol,’ there has been a systematic and selective policy of repression,” states the CPM document, an autonomous body established by law with a recognized commitment to human rights advocacy.

“The repression has been systematic yet selective, stemming from a planned and repeated policy designed to restrict the exercise of the right to expression and public dissent,” the organization reported.

Numbers that Double, Quadruple, and Alarm

According to the report, the total number of people injured in repressive contexts increased by 13% year-on-year, rising from 1,216 in 2024 to 1,369 in 2025.

Among the victims are particularly vulnerable groups; for instance, during the Wednesday Dignity Marches led by retirees in front of the National Congress, injuries among seniors nearly quadrupled compared to the previous year, soaring from 42 in 2024 to 155 in 2025.

Violence also affected children and teenagers. In 2025, 5 minors (aged 4, 8, 13, 14, and 16 years) sustained injuries, all from irritant spray gas, compared to four cases in 2024.

Another revealing statistic concerns the press: 184 media workers were injured or assaulted while covering events, a figure that doubles the 98 recorded cases in 2024.

Use of Lethal Weapons and Illegal Intelligence

The study not only quantifies events but also describes an operational pattern based on disproportionality. It reveals a deployment of security forces with “up to seven police officers per protester in some instances.”

Moreover, in 85% of the monitored mobilizations in 2025, security forces were found to be armed with lethal weapons, despite their use being strictly prohibited in these contexts.

Another serious finding is the systematic nature of illegitimate surveillance practices. The report documents illegal intelligence activities in 81% of the protests, including filming and data collection on demonstrators.

Notable Cases of Extreme State Violence

The report devotes a chapter to “extreme violence operations,” highlighting one that occurred on March 12, 2025, deemed the most violent of the period, resulting in 672 injuries and 114 arbitrary detentions.

Among the most severe cases is that of photographer Pablo Grillo, who suffered a skull fracture and brain mass loss due to a tear gas grenade fired by a gendarme.

Furthermore, there were reports of individuals who lost vision in one eye due to rubber bullet shots at close range.

Increase in Arbitrary Detentions Under Milei’s Government

The state response extended beyond physical violence. The CPM recorded a 77% increase in arbitrary detentions between 2024 and 2025, totaling 258 detentions over the two years.

Those detained included journalists, street vendors, homeless individuals, and retirees.

The organization firmly states that the repressive actions by Javier Milei’s government “violate international principles regarding the use of force in public protests, including legality, necessity, and proportionality.”

It recalls that organizations such as the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and the UN “have expressed concern over the disproportionate use of force and the criminalization of protest in Argentina.”

You can access the full report through this link.

La entrada Milei Intensified Repression of Social Protests in Argentina During 2025 se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.