Argentina’s President-elect Javier Milei has announced some of the emergency measures he will take once he takes office. Some measures that have caused concern among some of the affected sectors.
Ultra-liberal Javier Milei has won Argentina’s presidential election by a clear 11-point margin over his rival, Peronist Sergio Massa, and will seek to break a revolution in the South American country’s economic policy and international outlook with the four-year term of Alberto Fernández .
The eccentric Milei has made the restructuring of Argentina’s economy the core issue of his election campaign, promising not only the dollarization of the economy, but also a drastic reduction in the number of ministries from 18 to just eight, in which the elected president is already classified as “complete reform of the state”.
His government is expanded from 18 to 8 ministries
For now, Milei has confirmed that he will cut 11 ministries and keep eight, and has said he intends to turn Argentina into an economic powerhouse.
Of the eight ministries that his government will have, it is already known who will occupy the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Social Security. Milei has announced that the Justice Department will be led by criminal lawyer Mariano Cúneo Libarona and that his former candidate for governor of Buenos Aires province, Carolina Píparo, will be head of the National Social Security Agency (Anses).
As promised during his election campaign, Milei’s Argentina will consist of the Ministries of Economy, Foreign Affairs, Public Works, Security, Justice, Interior, Defense and Human Capital, which will combine those of Social Development, Health, Labor and Education.
Their economic plans: privatization of public companies
His economic recipe is to privatize public companies such as the oil company Yacimientos Petrolófilos Fiscales (YPF), public television, Radio Nacional and the Télam news agency “for symbolic rather than budgetary reasons”.
This measure may also affect the National Institute of Science and Audiovisual Arts or the National Institute against Discrimination, Xenophobia and Racism.
In addition to cuts in government spending, Milei has promised a series of economic measures in recent months Dollarization of the country is the star proposal, But behind this lie other initiatives such as the drastic reduction in government spending to less than 15 percent of gross domestic product or the reduction of taxes.
In this area, his commitment to abolishing Argentina’s central bank stands out. Not only will this end inflation “forever,” but it will also allow Argentinians to “trade with the currency they want.”
Argentina has been mired in a financial crisis for more than 20 years, which forced the country in 2018 to reach an agreement with the International Monetary Fund to pay off debts. Inflation in Argentina is currently 142.7 percent and rising.
Milei also advocates for this “Abolish 90 percent of current taxes”According to him, “they only have an impact of about two percent of GDP in terms of revenue, but they hinder the functioning of the economy,” according to the newspaper “Ámbito”.
Likewise, their election program includes reforming the energy system to reverse a situation of “disinvestment, disinvestment and inefficiency” and at this point advocates the abolition of subsidies; at the same time as cuts in retirement and pension spending, suggesting a transition to a private model.
International politics
As for Argentina’s position on the international stage, Milei advocated breaking with the positions of Alberto Fernández, who was closer to Brazil and China, and opting for relations not only with the United States but also with Israel strengthen.
This would distance Argentina from the trend in South and Central America. Bolivia and Belize have broken off diplomatic relations with Israel, while other countries such as Colombia, Honduras and Chile have summoned their ambassadors to Tel Aviv for consultations.
Shortly after confirming his victory, Milei announced that he would travel to the United States and also to Israel, this second destination, before December 10 – the date of the inauguration – after receiving an invitation from the Israeli Foreign Ministry. “These are the first trips I will make. Everything will be before assuming (the position),” the president-elect said.
Justice, education and security
Milei suggested a reform of the judiciary, In recent years, the judiciary has worked in the service of the ruling political class and “instead of acting as a defender of individual rights, it has been used to persecute opponents and favor friends.”
During the election campaign, the ultra-liberal decided to redesign the system, which “aims at the depoliticization of the judiciary and the defense of the fundamental rights of Argentines.” Milei has also promised to fill vacancies at the Supreme Court and the Office of the Attorney General.
Regarding education, a ministry that Milei directly linked to “indoctrination,” the president-elect promised at the time Towards a model of “free choice and competition”so that students’ parents can choose the content taught in the classrooms.
Finally, when it comes to security Milei has decided to introduce a system “based on the principle that whoever does it pays.”paving the way for reform of the law on internal security, national defense and intelligence, as well as the fight against land occupation and “prioritisation of the fight against drug trafficking”.
“Due to the elephantine size of the state, all control over the actions of not only the armed forces but all levels of the state has been lost,” denounced one Milei on one occasion, lamenting that “security in Argentina has faltered.” Deteriorating .” constant for decades.