Argentina's new president, Javier Milei, is facing accusations of hypocrisy after awarding himself a 48% pay rise while implementing austerity measures that have pushed millions of people into poverty. The pay rise was secretly signed by Milei and his cabinet on February 29, but was later annulled after public backlash [b07e1d6c].
Milei has claimed that the pay rise was the result of a remuneration system introduced by his predecessor, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. However, the scandal is embarrassing for Milei, who came to power promising to reform the Argentinian economy and has since devalued the peso, increased the poverty rate, and frozen subsidies to soup kitchens [b07e1d6c].
Opposition politicians, including Fernández de Kirchner, have criticized Milei's actions. They argue that his decision to award himself a pay rise while implementing austerity measures demonstrates a lack of empathy and contradicts his promises to prioritize the well-being of the Argentine people [b07e1d6c].
In a separate incident, senators in Argentina have voted to raise their own salaries by 170 percent, angering the public as half of the population lives in poverty. The vote took place in the Senate and lasted less than two minutes. The 72 senators will now earn around four million pesos (about US$4,500) per month, almost 20 times the minimum wage. The decision was made by a show of hands, without a nominal vote [aa559b02].
President Milei's allies did not raise their hands during the vote, but their presence provided the quorum for the decision to pass. Milei, who has been slashing public spending, criticized the senators on Twitter, calling them 'cynical' and 'hypocritical' [aa559b02].
The ruling bloc in the Senate has stated that they will present a bill to reverse the increase. The vote comes as Congress is debating measures proposed by Milei to cut state spending [aa559b02].
Despite the accusations of hypocrisy, Milei remains committed to his economic reform agenda. He has emphasized the need for drastic measures to address Argentina's economic crisis and believes that his policies, including the pay rise annulment, will ultimately lead to a sustainable recovery [b07e1d6c].
As the controversy unfolds, Milei's presidency is facing a critical test of public trust. The outcome of this situation will likely have significant implications for the future of Argentina's economy and the success of Milei's reform agenda [b07e1d6c].