Argentine university teachers and students held open-air classes outside Buenos Aires' Palace of Justice on Tuesday (May 26), to keep up pressure on President Javier Milei's government to fulfill its university funding obligations.

The protest, organized by faculty and student unions, comes weeks after tens of thousands marched through the capital in a similar demonstration.

Milei, who took office in late 2023 on a platform of deep public spending cuts, vetoed a Congressional law guaranteeing increased university funding, though lawmakers later overturned the veto. Despite this, the government has yet to implement the funding stipulated in the law, leaving universities facing a sharp reduction in resources.

Professor Luis Tonelli said the situation had gone beyond a matter of vocation, noting that wages no longer cover even the cost of getting to work. "When vocation is not even enough to pay for the transport to get to teach classes, then we are already in a matter that goes beyond any other issue," he said.

Constitutional law professor Christian Cao said universities were struggling on three fronts: insufficient budget allocations, stalled salary negotiations, and lack of scholarship funds. He added that the Supreme Court is now studying a precautionary request for the immediate application of the university financing law.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (MAY 26, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. EXTERIOR OF PALACE OF JUSTICE BUILDING, WHERE SUPREME COURT OF JUSTICE OPERATES

2. VARIOUS OF STUDENTS IN PUBLIC CLASSES WITH THEIR TEACHERS GIVING LESSONS AT SQUARE IN FRONT OF COURT

3. VARIOUS OF PALACE OF JUSTICE EXTERIORS

4. ARGENTINE PROFESSOR, LUIS TONELLI, GIVING PUBLIC CLASSES

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARGENTINE PROFESSOR, LUIS TONELLI, SAYING:

"To say university professor is to say vocation, we all start out ad honorem. We never received what in theory we should’ve received in terms of our training, so on that point, sacrifice is inherent because we have vocation. Now, when vocation is not even enough to pay for the transport to get to teach classes, then we are already in a matter that goes beyond any other issue.”

6. VARIOUS OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AND TEACHERS IN PUBLIC CLASS DEMANDING IMPLEMENTATION OF UNIVERSITY BUDGET

7. CONSTITUTIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR, CHRISTIAN ALBERTO CAO, WATCHING CLASS

8. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARGENTINE UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR, CHRISTIAN CAO, SAYING:

"The budget allocation for universities is not enough, what the law establishes cannot be fulfilled. Secondly, the call for collective bargaining between the employer and the workers' representatives to adjust and update the salary scales is suspended or not being carried out, and finally, there is no fund for scholarships either. Therefore, the matter has been taken to court and the Supreme Court of Justice has it under study and we hope it resolves it quickly. It has under study a precautionary request so that in these three aspects, the university financing law is applied immediately."

9. VARIOUS OF TEACHERS AND STUDENTS IN PUBLIC CLASS AT SQUARE

10. WHITE LAB COAT WITH INSCRIPTION READING (Spanish): "CONICET on the run, nobody is saved alone"

11. STUDENTS LISTENING TO CLASS

12. GIANT SIGN READING (Spanish): "The government does not comply with the law"

13. STUDENTS APPLAUDING