Milei’s radical overhaul passes Argetina’s Senate

This news has been read 302 times!

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, June 13, (AP): Argentina’s Senate narrowly approved President Javier Milei ’s sweeping proposals to slash state spending and boost his own powers on Thursday, handing the libertarian leader a much-needed first legislative victory even as opposition senators scrapped an income tax package and tweaked some contentious parts of the plan.
Senate president Victoria Villarruel, the vice president, used a tie-breaking vote to give provisional approval to two bills after a daylong heated debate while thousands of protesters poured into the streets, burning cars and throwing Molotov cocktails. Hundreds of federal security forces pushed back with tear gas and water cannons.
In a marathon article-by-article voting session that stretched into Thursday morning, the Senate advanced the most critical parts of Milei’s plans to trim the fiscal deficit, incentivize foreign investment and privatize some state companies in a bid to overhaul Argentina’s long-troubled economy.
The state reform bill needs to pass a further reading in the lower house in the coming weeks before it becomes law. It is highly likely that the lower house will approve the changes.
It marked a major boost to Milei, whose radical efforts to overhaul the government and economy have run into tough resistance in Argentina’s opposition-dominated Congress.
“Tonight is a triumph for the Argentine people and the first step toward the recovery of our greatness,” Milei posted on X, calling his bills “the most most ambitious legislative reform of the last 40 years.”
Right-wing and left-wing lawmakers have clashed over various parts of the 238-article state reform bill, including the declaration of a one-year state of emergency and delegation of broad powers to the president in energy, pensions, security and other matters until the end of Milei’s term in 2027. The expansion of presidential powers passed in a close vote during the article-by-article reading.

This news has been read 302 times!