The Government of Javier Milei obtained general approval of its ‘omnibus law’ this Friday and begins a frenetic negotiation for the vote on the articles, including extraordinary powers and privatization of public companies, next Tuesday.
The law Bases and Starting Points for the Freedom of Argentines, Milei’s star project to deregulate the economy and reduce the weight of the State, was generally approved in the Lower House by 144 in favor and 109 against, after about 30 hours of debate.
Milei celebrated the “positive vote” of the deputies, whom, he said, “history will remember with honor” because “they understood the historical moment and chose to end the privileges of the caste and the corporate republic” and added that he hopes “the same greatness” in the vote in particular.
It is called for next Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. local time (5:00 p.m. GMT), a treatment that can be long due to the number of articles, although the project was cut to 382 from the original 664; It must then go to the Senate for final approval.
“(We are going to) continue talking so that other deputies who did not accompany us today join us,” said the head of the official La Libertad Avanza bloc, Oscar Zago, to the press once the session adjourned, and warned that Milei, who took office on December 10, “he is not the owner of all evils,” due to the fragile situation in the country, which is why he asked them to “start reflecting.”
Zago said that in this Friday’s vote, eight delegated powers and 27 confirmed companies were approved for privatization, after the modifications granted by the Executive, which includes the elimination of the fiscal chapter to achieve a consensus project and unblock the vote.
The pro-government deputy expressed his hope that at the end of Tuesday the law could be approved in the Deputies to be sent to the Senate and that it would be sanctioned the next weekend, but other deputies doubt that speed.
President Milei’s party only has 38 deputies (and 7 senators) and received this Friday the support of the Republican Proposal (Pro, center-right) – the formation of former Argentine president, Mauricio Macri -, part of the Radical Civic Union (UCR, center) and the majority of members of We Make the Federal Coalition.
The Peronist bloc Unión por la Patria (UxP), the left and some deputies from provincial formations, in addition to two from the UCR, voted against the project.
The president of the UxP bloc, Germán Martínez, insisted to the press that “such an anomalous parliamentary treatment has never been seen” due to the number of articles that were negotiated at the last minute, and denounced the recess until Tuesday because, he said, the The ruling party is “buying time to get the votes that they particularly do not have.”
Milei thanked the collaboration of the head of the UCR bench, Rodrigo de Loredo, who after the session acknowledged that the sharing of the Country tax (on exchange operations) and a fiscal pact with the provinces and how the process will be carried out are under discussion. privatization process of public companies.
The libertarian committed to achieving fiscal balance this year and withdrew the tax increase package contained in the law, so the provinces seek to avoid the cuts to transfers that the Executive has already threatened.
The other gratitude was to Miguel Angel Pichettto (leader of the We Make Federal Coalition bloc), who on the floor highlighted that the heart of the law is the declaration of economic emergency, the delegation of legislative powers to the president and the privatization process, and to On Tuesday he acknowledged that his bloc has diverse opinions.
Milei also highlighted the collaboration of Cristian Ritondo, president of the Pro bloc, who clarified in the room that they do not co-govern, but that they were giving the Executive “a toolbox so that it can solve the problems created by a berreta populism (of poor quality )”.
The long debate in the venue was accompanied by demonstrations by leftist militants in the vicinity of Congress – in the midst of an extreme heat wave – who were met with a harsh response from the Ministry of Security to defend Congress and free movement. on the streets.
After the law was passed, protesters defied security protocol by shouting “Everyone leave.”
For three days, tension was repeated between protesters and security agents, who acted following the strict instructions of the security protocol implemented by the Milei Government, arresting people and using rubber bullets, water cannon trucks and pepper spray to repress.
