Footwear manufacturers gave away shoes in Plaza de Mayo

The “Zapatazo Solidario” (Solidarity Shoe Giveaway) took place on Tuesday, October 27, in Plaza de Mayo, opposite Casa Rosada, the seat of Argentina's national government.

The demonstration was organized by Zapateros Unidos, a collective of industrial SMEs, with the support of business associations from the sector and the UTICRA trade union (Union of Footwear Industry Workers of the Argentine Republic).

Meanwhile, in various areas of Greater Buenos Aires known for footwear production, different groups of self-organized footwear manufacturers have been emerging spontaneously, promoting mobilization and unity with the aim of forming a common front.

The action in Plaza de Mayo consisted of distributing between 1,000 and 1,500 pairs of domestically manufactured shoes and sneakers free of charge to people who gathered at the site. As the hours passed, long lines of passersby formed, all seeking to obtain a pair of footwear.

Under the main slogan, “We are giving away our work because we are putting ourselves in your shoes,” the aim was to highlight the paradox of having unsold merchandise piling up while domestic consumption remains severely depressed.

In the afternoon, sector representatives and trade union leaders held a press conference at the El Querandí hall in San Telmo and marched to government offices responsible for production to submit a formal petition containing emergency proposals.