Survival Amid Crisis: Argentines Turn to Ingenuity and Grit

Amidst massive anti-government protests in Buenos Aires and severe economic crisis, Alejandra, a street vendor, starts a makeshift sanitation business. President Javier Milei's austerity measures have caused widespread poverty and unemployment, pushing Argentines to use resilience and creativity to survive. Many are forced into informal work as conditions worsen.

In the crush of anti-government protests paralyzing downtown Buenos Aires in recent months, some Argentines saw a traffic-induced headache. Others saw a reaction to President Javier Milei's brutal austerity measures.

Alejandra, a street vendor, saw people with nowhere to urinate.

Plazas provided no privacy, and cafes insisted on pricey purchases to use the toilet. With little more than a tent and a bucket, Alejandra started a small business that has surged alongside Argentina's angry rallies and sky-high inflation rate. She charges whatever people are willing to pay.