Mass demonstrations erupt in Argentina over proposed laws on private land ownership

Thousands of protesters defied stormy weather to gather outside the Argentine Senate on Thursday, voicing their opposition to a contentious private property bill that has sparked widespread controversy.

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As the demonstration drew to a close, clashes erupted on Congress Square, with protesters hurling stones and other projectiles at police, who responded with tear gas, rubber bullets, and a water cannon.

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The protesters, mobilized by left-wing movements and unions, remained resolute despite earlier concessions that removed a key provision allowing foreigners or foreign entities to purchase land in Argentina more easily.

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Demonstrators waved Argentine flags and banners emblazoned with the slogan “The homeland is not for sale,” as observed by an AFP correspondent.

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The proposed “Inviolability of Private Property” bill aims to introduce significant changes to property ownership in Argentina, including streamlined eviction procedures, revised rural land use rules, and stricter regulations governing state ownership of private property.

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The government, led by libertarian President Javier Milei, seeks to establish a legal framework that will attract investment through the bill.

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However, opposition and environmental groups strongly oppose the bill, warning of the risks of “colonisation, fragmentation, fracture and balkanization of the homeland.”

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With only 20 seats in the 72-senator body, Milei’s party was forced to backtrack, removing the chapter related to foreign land purchases, which would have increased the limit on foreign-owned land from 15 per cent to 25 per cent.

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A 2025 report by the University of Buenos Aires and other researchers revealed that nearly five per cent of Argentina’s territory, an area roughly equivalent to the size of England, is currently under foreign ownership.

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According to the report, foreign ownership already exceeds the 15 per cent limit in certain districts, particularly in areas with access to water and mineral resources or strategic logistical advantages, such as ports.