He Javier Milei’s government suffers a new defeat and managed to unify a large part of the opposition. With 160 votes, Union for the Homeland, the UCR, the Pichetto bloc, the Civic Coalition and Federal Innovation They assembled a majority to impose changes on the government retirements. A higher number than the ruling party had achieved for the half-sanction of the Bases Law that is expected to be discussed next week in the Senate.
Freedom Advances and the PRO They were in a slim minority of 72 votes.
The bench of Left Front defended his proposal, expressed in his own opinion, which included a series of comprehensive measures to structurally recompose retirement benefits in accordance with the cost of living, even detailing where to get the resources from, such as the restitution of 33% of employer contributions and taxes to the richest. “As the organizations of retirees ask us, we are going to defend our opinion” said Christian Castillopre-announcing abstention.
The half penalty has several changes regarding the DNU of Milei that changed the much-questioned retirement mobility of the Frente de Todos. First of all, she proposes restore 8% of January inflation of this year that the government had decided to leave out so that assets begin to be updated for inflation but above an indigence floor. Regarding the update, the half sanction maintains that it is monthly by the consumer price index, but it adds a variant. If the economy were to rebound and this is reflected in the increase in registered salaries (RIPTE), they will be given a plus once a year (with 50% of the difference with respect to inflation). On the other hand, it establishes that the there be minimum It cannot be below the Basic Basket of the Equivalent Adult measured by the Indec plus 9%. In summary, with these changes, the minimum salaries would go from the current $277,000 (with bonuses) to around $300,000 if it becomes law. The Basic Retiree Basket, measured by the advocate for the elderly, in March was $685,000.
Another point, which was key for Unión por la Patria and the “dialogue blocs” to agree, is that it incorporates the obligation to settle debts with lawsuits and provincial pension funds. They would no longer be made with the resources of the Sustainability Guarantee Fund (FGS) as originally proposed by the UCR and Hacemos de Pichetto, but with the resources that Anses receives from tax collection like a check or VAT. A way for the National Treasury to take charge.
They were the deputies Cordoba who respond to Llaryora who most insisted on maintaining the payment of debts to the provinces. But since Union for the Homeland They refused to let it be with the savings of the retirees who are in the FGS, arguing that it is opening the door for the AFJP to return.
The session had been reached without agreement between the opposition blocs, and there were five opinions. In addition to the Union for the Homeland, the dialogueists and the left, the PRO proposed to ratify Milei’s DNU by adding the recomposition of 8% “to be paid in installments” as it suits the Executive Branch. María Eugenia Vidal even suggested, when it was debated in committees, that this 8% be paid in 12 installments. The last ruling was that of Freedom Advancesand copy paste del DNU.
Union for the Homeland and the dialogue blocs win a victory against the government, although The situation of retirees will continue to be critical and with assets that consolidate the loss accumulated as a result of the adjustment policies of both Macri and the government of Alberto and Cristina Fernández. Del Caño He reminded Peronism that they refused to vote on an inflation adjustment clause for his government’s retirement mobility when he proposed it.
From the Left Front they came out to the intersection of the UCR, We Make Pichetto, the Civic Coalition and Federal Innovation, reminding them that they come from supporting the Base Law that not only seeks eliminate the retirement moratorium that will leave 9 out of 10 women out of the system, but they also supported the labour reform that promotes unregistered work and thus aims to further defund the pension system. Was Myriam Bregman who pointed out this contradiction to them. “Laundering is promoted to major evaders in our country, everything is forgiven, they are not told that they are definancing the State. But the retirement moratorium is a fiscal burden” He ironized about the logic and actions of the dialogueists.
Representative Bregman received a standing ovation with applause because it was the last session of her mandate. Due to the rotation scheme of the Left Front, she leaves her place for another of its members to occupy.
Although dialogic blocks They ended the day voting on changes in mobility, in the same session they were in charge of help the Milei government, shielding Minister Sandra Pettovello. The Left Front moved to summon her to give public explanations about the food scandal, and they prevented it. They did the same by blocking the possibility of incorporating the restitution of the Fonid and the budgetary emergency of the universities into the agenda.
Another of the topics that hovered over the debate was the news that the deputies would receive a increase in diets of 80%. The decision is not official, and must be made by the president of the Chamber Martin Menem. The deputy of the left Nicolás del Caño He put it on the table: “Some said that there are deputies angry because the increase of 1 million pesos seemed little to them, but then here they tell us that we are crazy because we want retirees to earn what they deserve”. Anger exists in several blocks, even in La Libertad Avanza, because their diets were very far from those of the Senate.
If the new mobility obtains sanction in the Senate, another crisis may be added to this defeat of Milei. The president has already announced that he plans to veto any initiative “that breaks the fiscal balance”and I could make use of this tool against retirees for the first time. If he does it, the Congress could insist on the law if it gets 2/3 of the votes in both Houses. A difficult scenario, but one that cannot be ruled out.
For that decision is missing. The government is still sweating Bases Law and the fiscal packagethat he Senate is heading to bring to the venue the June 12 or 13 and must face mobilizations of rejection outside Congress. Entering the sixth month of government, Milei still has no legislative victory. But he does accumulate cabinet crises, problems with economic variables, scandals over food in warehouses, fraudulent contracts. A combo that increasingly exposes him to social unrest gaining strength in the streets.
Source: www.laizquierdadiario.com