Milei’s veto of college funding bill survives Congressional challenge — MercoPress

Milei’s veto of college funding bill survives Congressional challenge

Overriding his veto would have meant “giving in to the old policy and return to the Country Risk we had with Kirchnerism,” Milei explained

Despite lacking a majority of its own, Argentina’s ruling La Libertad Avanza (LLA) Wednesday succeeded at the Lower House in keeping enforceable President Javier Milei’s veto from last week against the newly approved university funding bill by garnering a total of 84 votes with help from occasional allies such as a few rogue UCR lawmakers, thus rendering the opposition’s 164 votes insufficient after key abstentions to override the presidential decision.

The measure would have provided for the wages of teachers and college workers to be updated as per the country’s inflation. Milei argued that such an initiative would threaten his zero-deficit policy. “The increase to universities would be giving in to the old policy and return to the Country Risk we had with Kirchnerism,” Milei explained on social media.

According to Buenos Aires parliamentarian reporters, former President Mauricio Macri was instrumental in having his Propuesta Republicana (PRO) lawmakers stand by Milei’s decision. However, LLA still needed backing from Governors Osvaldo Jaldo (Tucumán) and other political leaders represented at the House of Deputies to side with the Executive.

In this scenario, Milei’s administration announced a wage increase for teachers whose union found insufficient. In addition, college labor groupings protested the government’s alleged short-sightedness by turning its back on public education and a “genuine demand of society.” The National Interuniversity Council (CIN) announced a nationwide strike for Thursday.

“This claim is genuine and this was expressed by society as a whole in the federal marches of April 23 and October 2,” the CIN said in a statement. “Of course, we are grateful for the deep commitment of those 160 deputies who understood the enormous challenge and responsibility of defending public university education in our country. Those women and men voted with the conviction of safeguarding the future of Argentina. It was not enough, but we will not give up, because there are students who deserve it, and workers too,” it went on.

“Today the public university system has 70% of the teaching and non-teaching salaries below the poverty line; the allocated funds are not even enough for the minimum maintenance of the infrastructure and the works are paralyzed; the continuity of university scholarships, the only instrument to build equal opportunities, is in danger; and there is no investment in research, science and technology, fundamental for the development of a sovereign country,” the document also noted.

“None of that mattered to them. They privileged their square meter, their small arguments, their short-sightedness, and their selfish vision,” it insisted.

“University is a part of our history, of our identity as a nation. It is the present and the future of the country, and a source of pride for all Argentines. We will not allow it to be destroyed,” the CIN also pledged.