He President Javier Milei will give his speech tonight at 9 p.m. before Congress in a context of contained crisis between the Executive Branch and the provinces. Prior to the presidential message, several governors expressed their criticism of the national government at the opening of the sessions of the provincial legislatures. For agenda reasons, others for clear political reasons, Some governors announced their absence.
Just seven days ago, given the cut in federal funds carried out by the Milei government, the governor of Chubut, Ignacio Torres threatened to cut off oil and gas supplies. The favorable court ruling that restored the items left the litigation on hold. The episode marked a voltage peak in the Nation-Provinces relationship.
Nacho Torres is one of the PRO governors who will attend Congress to listen to Milei. This morning he brought forward the opening hours of the legislative year in Chubut, to travel to the Federal Capital.
The governor left a harsh message towards the Casa Rosada: “To the Executive Branch He did not like at all that justice ruled in our favor.not only to us but also to federalism as a concept,” Torres said.
Of the batch of PRO governors, Rogelio Frigerio, governor of Entre Ríos, also confirmed his presence, as did Jorge Macri (from CABA). Frigerio asked for a speech “towards the future, in which it is clearly established how we are going to solve people’s problems and that calls for everyone to work together and look forward.”
The radical position
Although the radical Alfredo Cornejo had warned that he would remain in Mendoza for the Harvest celebrations, today the decision of not travel of two other radical governors: Gustavo Valdés (Corrientes) and Leandro Zdero (Chaco).
When Valdés opened the local parliamentary activity, he maintained this morning that “in a country with high poverty rates, We will not allow the State to abandon its social role”, a message that goes in the opposite direction to the libertarian government. He reiterated that he will insist before the Court in his claim for the co-participating funds. “It is reasonable for the Government to demand that the provinces pay their debts, just as it is fair that Corrientes be paid what it is entitled to by law,” he emphasized in a speech that showed distance from the libertarian management.
Then he surprised by saying that tonight he would watch President Milei’s speech “on television.”
Zdero also alluded to Milei’s management in his speech before the Chaco legislature. He mentioned the collaboration of the national government for the refinancing of a provincial debt, given that “funds were not available to meet the payment of the bond services”, with the danger of being “in default”. Contrary to expectations, it was reported that Zdero was not traveling to Buenos Aires.
The governor of Jujuy, also a radical Carlos Sadir is among the leaders who decided to attend tonight to the National Assembly. “In understanding and tolerance we will have the best political platform to respond to the needs of the people. “I am going to represent and defend Jujuy with a rational attitude and a federal perspective,” Sadir said this morning, before the local legislature.
What happens to the Peronists?
Last night the Riojan Ricardo Quintelaenrolled in the batch of Peronist governors of Unión por la Patria, anticipated his failure: “To be insulted and disrespected, I stay in my province,” he said.
His counterpart from Formosa, Gildo Insfrán made the same decision. This morning Insfrán left a very harsh speech against the Milei government before the provincial legislators. “In the campaign they said that the caste was going to pay for the adjustment, but then they took over the Government and allied themselves with the caste to brutally adjust on the people,” said Insfrán and called on “all political, social, economic and union sectors to defend national sovereignty, employment, production, social and labor rights.”
Insfrán especially targeted DNU 70, just as Governor Axel Kicillof did days ago. The Peronist leaders affirm that only by reversing the decree in Congress will the Executive be prevented from continuing with the funding cuts.
Kicillof is among the UP governors who decided to attend Congress. “We hope that Milei addresses himself with respect and if he has a complaint to make it founded, the President must understand the institutional role he has,” he said about tonight’s presidential speech.
In a two-hour speech, the governor of Salta, Gustavo Sáenz, left many critical notes against the national government. He said that Salta is the second province “most affected by the cuts in national transfers” and announced that he will resort to justice in defense of the interests of the people of Salta. However, the governor called for “a great national agreement.” «Mr. President, Dear Governors, there is a great opportunity, let’s not waste it,» concluded Sáenz.
The governor of Neuquén, Rolando Figueroa, like Sáenz, spoke this morning before the local legislature in favor of “making a great agreement” between the Nation and the provinces to “ratify the will to dialogue and work as a team with the national Government.” To do this, he clarified, “the Nation must listen to us and know our difficulties and potential.”
Figueroa, enrolled in a provincial party detached from the Neuquino Popular Movement, warned that he will not travel to the Federal Capital.
The same decision was made by two other Patagonian governors, Alberto Weretilneck (Río Negro) and Claudio Vidal (Santa Cruz). The absence of the governor of Tierra del Fuego, Gustavo Melella, who today left many criticisms of the Milei government, when inaugurating the local parliamentary sessions, is also discounted.
“They want to convince us that by dropping salaries, pensions and other basic social rights, stopping public works and leading the provinces to recession, macroeconomic balances will be achieved,” criticized the governor of the Forja party, aligned with Unión por la Homeland.
Sources from the government of the province of Córdoba reported yesterday that the governor Martín Llaryora will attend the assembly. Peronist, but not aligned with Unión por la Patria, Llaryora demands from the national government “an economic plan” to accompany the adjustment that is being carried out.