Crisis in Argentina: President Javier Milei faces rebellion from governors and unions
On his return from the United States, where he met former president Donald Trump on Saturday, Argentine president Javier Milei has to deal with tensions with the governors of Argentina's provinces and massive strikes.
After reaping the praise of the Americans, Javier Milei returned to the tensions he faces in Argentina, in an increasingly tense political climate. Among the reasons for the crisis are profound disagreements between the national government and the provinces, and the anger of unions demanding wage increases.
At the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), the annual conference organized by American conservatives on Saturday February 24, the Argentine president met a Donald Trump who was full of praise for him.
Turning his traditional slogan "Make America Great Again" into "Make Argentina Great Again", he praised Javier Milei's work to stabilize the Argentine economy.
This vision is logically shared by the spokesman for the Argentine presidency, Manuel Adorni, who denied at a press briefing on February 26 the existence of "problems of governability" in Argentina. A country which, in his view, "is in a process of greater maturity than at other times".
However, the torch continues to burn between Javier Milei and certain provincial governors who, alerted by the suspension of federal funds to their region, have warned against actions that could ultimately damage the national executive.
What are the governors asking for?
The "shock" plan promoted by the Argentine government ended up triggering a lively controversy with the governors, affected by the reduction in funds allocated to the provinces, which they see as punishment following the failure of the "omnibus law" in the Chamber of Deputies.
None of Argentina's 23 provinces (plus the autonomous city of Buenos Aires) is governed by La Libertad Avanza, the far-right party led by Javier Milei. The national government therefore enjoys no direct support from regional leaders.
Although the provinces receive co-participation funds, which are deducted from taxes and sent automatically, the governors are protesting against the reduction in discretionary transfers and the elimination of fiduciary funds, which were used in particular for works, salary payments and pensions.
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