In a dramatic escalation of tensions within Argentina’s government, President Javier Milei and his vice-president, Victoria Villarruel, have engaged in a public confrontation regarding pension reforms. The dispute was ignited by a Senate vote that favored increasing pensions and disability allowances — measures that Milei strongly opposes.
On social media, Milei expressed his dissatisfaction, retweeting comments labeling Villarruel as “stupid” and a “traitor,” which prompted Villarruel's pointed response to "grow up." The president's frustration reached a boiling point after a significant setback in Congress, where the Senate voted 52 to 0, with four abstentions, to approve the pension increase despite a boycott by government-aligned senators.
Milei contends that the pension hike is detrimental to his fiscal strategy aimed at alleviating Argentina's longstanding budget deficit and inflation woes. Following the Senate's decision, he announced his intention to enact a veto, suggesting that any efforts to override it would lead to legal challenges.
Villarruel, acting in her capacity as President of the Senate, has faced backlash for facilitating the debate that catalyzed the pension hike, arguing that increasing benefits for pensioners was a pressing need that could not be delayed. She urged Milei to curtail unnecessary government spending, specifically referencing the intelligence services and the administration's international trips.
Milei, known for his radical austerity measures that recently delivered Argentina its first budget surplus in over a decade, faces increasing mounting public dissent. Protests have erupted as pensioners rally outside Congress, demanding immediate increases to their benefits.
Despite recent improvements in the country’s economic metrics, including the lowest monthly inflation rate in five years, the conflict between Milei and Villarruel signals deeper ideological fractures within the ruling coalition, as both leaders navigate the complex landscape of public spending and economic reform in Argentina.
