Source: AFP
Argentine lawmakers took the first step Friday in approving President Javier Millay’s sweeping package of economic, social and political reforms that have sparked angry opposition protests.
The bill won “general” approval in principle by the lower house of Congress, whose members will scrutinize libertarian and self-styled anarcho-capitalist Milei’s plans next week.
Shortly before the vote, the 53-year-old political outsider said on social media that lawmakers had “an opportunity to show which side of history” they wanted to be on.
“History will judge them according to their work in favor of Argentinians or for the continued impoverishment of the people,” the presidency said in a statement.
Milei won a resounding election victory in October, riding a wave of anger over decades of economic crisis in the South American nation, where annual inflation is more than 200 percent and poverty levels are at 40 percent.
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Millay began his term by devaluing the peso by more than 50 percent, slashing government subsidies for fuel and transportation, cutting the number of ministries in half and repealing hundreds of rules to deregulate the economy.
His reform package touches many areas of public and private life, from privatization to cultural issues, the criminal code, divorce and the status of football clubs.
The House of Representatives approved the package in principle by 144 votes to 109 on the third day of a marathon debate that was accompanied by protests and clashes outside.
The bill may undergo changes before reaching the Senate.
“We have two clear choices — to become the biggest slum in the world or to continue on this path to prosperity and freedom,” said Lorena Villaverde, a lawmaker from Miley’s far-right Freedom Advances party.
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![](https://images.yen.com.gh/images/6a0b6725170358e5.jpg?impolicy=cropped-image&imwidth=256)
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But opposition lawmaker Leandro Santoro pointed to the economic and social crisis of 2001 as an example of the dangers of free market reforms.
“We Argentinians already know what happens when the economic model focuses on adjustment and deregulation,” he said.
On Friday, police again fired tear gas into crowds of protesters outside Congress.
It comes just over a week after tens of thousands of Argentines took to the streets in a major challenge to Milei’s budget-cutting policies.
In a vote of confidence behind Millay’s reforms, however, the IMF on Wednesday approved the disbursement of about $4.7 billion to Argentina.
Source: AFP