Javier Milei promised “ a change of times » to his compatriots on the occasion of Argentina’s national holiday on Saturday May 25. Despite his failure to have his reforms adopted, almost six months after coming to power, the Argentine president insisted that he intended to take his country in an ultraliberal direction. He also promised a “ significant tax reduction » if Congress approved his reforms.
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Javier Mileiits vice-president, Victoria Villarruel, and the ministers of her government began the day by attending a Te Deum at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Buenos Aires. Then it was in Cordoba, a city largely won over to his cause, that Javier Milei chose to celebrate his first national holiday as president.
During his speech, he drew a parallel between the 214th anniversary of the May Revolution, which led to the independence ofArgentina vis-à-vis Spain, and the ultraliberal revolution that he intends to lead, underlines our correspondent in Buenos Aires, Théo Conscience. “ We are going to give back freedom to the Argentines, so that once again, as the glorious revolution of May allowed, everyone can once again become the architect of their own destiny. », chanted the Argentine head of state.
A triumphalism displayed despite the setbacks and legislative setbacks experienced by his government’s deregulatory reform projects. Unable to have them adopted by Parliament, Javier Milei preferred to postpone the signing of the May Pact, the new social contract with resolutely ultraliberal overtones that he had announced for May 25.
Tax cuts
“ I am here to invite you all to become aware of the great challenge that is ours to bring our country out of decadence and put it back on the path to prosperity. “, launched Javier Milei. Despite the economic recession caused by his austerity policy, the Argentine president assures that prosperity will return thanks to the invisible hand of the market, and promises that once Parliament has voted on his reforms, he will announce tax cuts.
This reform project, which ranges from the privatization of public entities to the establishment of incentive measures for businesses, was adopted by the lower house during its second presentation. It must now be approved by the Senate. The main trade union centers in the country had called for a general strike on May 9 against this set of ultraliberal reforms, in a country where inflation reaches almost 300%.