A general strike against public spending cuts in Argentina has severely disrupted transport, affecting domestic flights, while trains and metro services have been suspended in Buenos Aires and other parts of the country.

This is coming after President Javier Milei slashed subsidies for transport, fuel and energy, fired tens of thousands of public servants and closed government departments.

It’s the third general strike called by Argentina’s unions since Milei took office at the end of 2023.

Since then, the president has introduced tough austerity measures to tackle hyperinflation. His plan has worked so far, with inflation down from more than 200% to about 60% a year. But the unions say the most vulnerable in society have been affected, including pensioners and low-paid workers.

Horacio Bianchi, a retired teacher living in Buenos Aires, told the Associated Press news agency people were suffering as they “don’t have enough money to eat”.

“These people [the government] came to solve the problems and they have absolutely worsened them for everyone,” he added.

On Wednesday, workers had joined a weekly protest staged by pensioners who have seen their pension funds slashed. In recent weeks, their protests have ended in violence as sympathetic groups, such as football fans, clashed with police.

The protest action comes as the Argentine government awaits whether it will be granted a new $20bn (£15.4bn) loan from the International Monetary Fund.

The US Treasury said Milei had “brought Argentina back from economic oblivion”.