Thousands of people are staging a protest in Argentina's capital against the government's decision to seek economic help from the International Monetary Fund.

Demonstrators marched along some of the busiest streets of downtown Buenos Aires on Friday, blocking traffic.

President Mauricio Macri announced earlier this month that Argentina would start talks with the IMF and seek a credit line to finance his government. It followed a sharp devaluation of the peso currency.

But the decision has brought back bad memories for Argentines. Many blame the IMF for introducing policies that led to Argentina's worst economic crisis in 2001.

Macri has ordered austerity measures to revive the economy. But he has faced labor protests as Argentines continue to lose purchasing power to one of the world's highest inflation rates.