Minister of Human Capital Sandra Pettovello announced on Monday that anyone who promotes, instigates, organizes, or participates in a protest that interrupts public transit will be unable to communicate with the ministry or access its benefits. She also affirmed that the Milei administration will begin auditing social organizations that apportion government support as part of an effort to eliminate any intermediaries in the distribution process.

“The mission of President Milei and the entire government is to defend mothers, children, and families who need assistance during these difficult times,” Pettovello said in a pre-recorded address. “If the people have a right to protest, they must respect the rights of others to move freely to go to their jobs.”

“We also want to provide calm to the beneficiaries of these programs,” she continued. “They have to know that no one can obligate them to attend a march under the threat of being kicked off their plan.”

Further to this, Pettovello vowed that the government would be cracking down on organizations that condition their support for members.

“We are especially concerned about mothers who attend these protests with kids,” she added. “It’s unnecessary to expose them to the heat and violence of these demonstrations. This is a situation that needs to end in the new Argentina.”

The ministry subsequently revealed in a press release that, beginning in January, food cards for families with one child would be raised to AR$33,000 (approximately US$39 at the official dollar rate, US$33.50 at the MEP dollar rate), families with two children to AR$51,750, and families with three children to AR$68,750.

Earlier in the day, public sector employees in the State Workers Association (ATE, by its Spanish acronym) announced that they would be striking against Economy Minister Luis Caputo’s steep spending cuts and Bullrich’s new “security protocol.” The public demonstrations, the first of Milei’s presidency, are scheduled to take place this Friday in provinces across the country.

Last week, Security Minister Patricia Bullrich authorized federal police forces to break up political demonstrations as part of a controversial new anti-protest initiative. The protocol, which the human rights non-profit Center for Legal and Social Studies (CELS, by its Spanish acronym) has called unconstitutional, included creating a registry of social movements and their spokespeople, among a raft of other measures.