The president, who was elected last month, is continuing what he calls a “liberal revolution” by sending a raft of laws and amendments to parliament.
Thousands of people demonstrated in Buenos Aires on Wednesday, where there were clashes with police and arrests, as part of the third mass mobilization in eight days against a decree promoting massive economic deregulation measures that the new ultra-liberal President Javier Millay wants.
The president, who was elected last month, is continuing what he calls a “liberal revolution” sending to the parliament, in an extraordinary session from yesterday Tuesday until the end of January, a raft of laws and amendments to laws concerning countless fields of public and private life, tax issues, electoral issues, inheritance cases, control of demonstrations…
Protesters in front of the courthouse yesterday, at the request of trade unions, including the major CGT confederation, they accompanied the appeal by labor unions questioning the constitutionality of the December 20 “mega-decree”, as the press christened it.
“We do not question the legitimacy of President Miley, but we want it to respect the separation of powers. Workers need to defend their rights when there is a question of unconstitutionality,” Gerardo Martines, head of the construction workers’ union, told the press.
The rally broke up in an atmosphere of calm in the afternoon, but small groups clashed with policemen—a strong police force had been deployed—who tried to open a boulevard. Seven people accused of “mutiny” were arrested, according to media.
Mr Miley announced last week, ten days after taking office, “necessary and urgent” measures decree, which aims to amend over 300 provisions — including removing the rent cap, price caps on basic necessities, weakening worker protection measures, facilitating privatizations, and more.
The decree will take effect tomorrow Friday, in view of its ratification by the parliament, which is not expected to consider it immediately. Theoretically on summer vacation, the parliament has been in an extraordinary session since yesterday Tuesday, but only to examine additional draft laws, complementary to the decree in question, which were submitted yesterday.
The national delegation theoretically has the ability to repeal the presidential decree, but for this an absolute majority (two-thirds) would be required in both of its bodies, which no political faction has. Miley’s party, Libertad Avanza (“Liberty Advances”), is only a third force, although it can count on the support of the center-right, the second force in parliament.
“Today we appeal to justice, but another chapter will be played in the parliament, where an in-depth discussion will have to take place”, Gerardo Martines emphasized.
The text of more than 600 articles submitted yesterday to the parliament on the “bases and starting points for the freedom of the Argentines”, aims, according to the presidency, to “restore the economic and social order based on the liberal doctrine embodied in the Constitution 1853”, for the defense of “the life, liberty and property of Argentines”.
Including, the electoral system will change — it is planned to abolish mandatory party votes for the nomination of candidates, which are too expensive for taxpayers, as judged by the new government—, while the penalties for incidents or obstruction of traffic at demonstrations will be much tougher. Changes to pensions are also foreseen, they will be automatically calculated in a “financially viable” way.
Yet, 41 public companies are named—among them the giant state-owned oil company YPF; the national airline Aerolíneas Argentinas, the public railway company Ferrocarriles Argentinos, etc.— which will be privatized. And the private sphere is also “liberalized”, with the establishment of “express divorce”, with a simple administrative act.
This river bill shows the intention of Mr. Millay’s government to make progress in parliament as the debate over whether the mammoth decree of December 20 is constitutional gives and takes.
However, the first austerity measures announced immediately after Mr. Millay took office have been put into effect.
The peso was devalued by more than 50%, while transportation and energy subsidies were drastically reduced. These measures are already affecting millions of citizens. The new government says its aim is to reduce Argentina’s chronic budget deficit and reduce inflation (160% annually).
Source :Skai
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