Senate approves Milei’s flagship project with one vote, which labels protesters ‘terrorists’

The Argentine Senate on Wednesday evening approved the long-awaited Bases Law, the “ambitious” legislative project of the far-right government of Javier Milei, which creates the legal framework for “the profound transformation of Argentina’s economic and social model.” Milei has congratulated security forces for suppressing the protesters, whom he has described as “terrorist groups” and accused of staging a “coup.”

After eleven hours of continuous debate and with thousands of demonstrators on the streets speaking out against it, the Legal bases and principles for the freedom of Argentinesalso known as the ‘omnibus law’ 36 votes against and 37 in favorincluding the ‘decisive vote’ of the Speaker of the Senate and the Vice President of the Republic, Victoria Villarruel, which broke the tie in a second vote. Has been 14 arrested and several injuredincluding five officers who were hospitalized due to the use of pepper spray.

The initiative, presented by the executive as a fundamental part to ‘modernize and re-energise’ the country economic ultra-liberalism and the reduction of the role of the state in the economy, has already passed the procedure of the Chamber of Deputies. If the initiative is adjusted during the discussion, especially in the Senate, it will return to the House of Representatives for discussion and final sanction.

When the outcome of the vote was known, hundreds of demonstrators standing in front of the doors of Congress confronted police and threw stones and lift barricadesto which the officers responded by shooting rubber bullets and use tear gasin a repetition of the violent episodes that occurred during the day.

The challenge was significant for the far-right party La Libertad AvanzaWhat’s minority in parliament. Of the 72 senators, half were expected to vote in favor and half against, although doubts remained about some lawmakers’ vote. Ultimately, it was the decisive vote of the President of the House that made the decision.

The Bases law has been under parliamentary consideration for almost six months. Outnumbered, the ruling party had to scrap several aspects of the original project. After several revisions, the initiative was approved in the Chamber of Deputies at the end of April with 142 votes in favor, 106 against and 5 abstentions.

To conclude the debate in the Senate plenary session, the ruling party agreed to more changes. Now that the Senate is discussing the project in particular, the project must return to the Delegates for final discussion.

The initiative makes the reform of the state possible privatization from various companies, changes in labor and pension legislationand offers iincentives for the energy and hydrocarbon sectors and major investments. Along with this project, the Senate is also debating a budget package that, among other things, money laundering and a tax and customs moratorium.

Milei calls Buenos Aires governor a ‘communist dwarf’

Milei, who was at an event while police and gendarmerie repressed demonstrators, has accused the opposition of resorting to “the methodology of throwing dead people onto the streets,” in a speech in which he also called a ” communist dwarf’. to the Governor of Buenos Aires, Axel Kicillof.

The President has praised his Minister of Security, Patricia BullrichThey claim that Argentina is “lucky” to have “a great minister who will put the streets in order”, as they promised during the election campaign, the newspaper said. The nation.