The far-right President warned he would veto the initiative, which now heads to the Senate for consideration.

On Wednesday, Argentina’s Lower House approved a 7.2% increase in retirement pensions and raised the monthly bonus paid to retirees to US$92.81.

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Lawmakers also approved an extension of the pension moratorium program, which allows individuals who lack 30 years of social security contributions to purchase the missing years and thus qualify for a minimum pension.

The measures passed with 142 votes from Peronist, centrist, and leftist lawmakers. Sixty-seven lawmakers voted against the proposals, including members of Freedom Advances — the party led by far-right President Javier Milei — and his allies, such as lawmakers from Republican Proposal, the party of former President Mauricio Macri. Nineteen lawmakers abstained.

In response to the vote, President Milei warned he would veto the initiative passed by the Lower House, which now heads to the Senate for consideration.

The text reads, “Argentina: Doctors join retirees’ protest. For weeks, retirees have been demanding an increase in their pensions from Javier Milei’s administration.”

“We hope senators do not support this populist demagoguery, but in any case, our commitment is to veto anything that undermines our zero-deficit goal,” the far-right politician said.

According to Milei’s chief of staff, Guillermo Francos, the pension increases jeopardize the government’s objective of achieving fiscal balance.

The lower house vote coincided with the weekly demonstration held by retirees outside Congress. This time, they were joined by feminist organizations, labor unions, health care workers, students, professors, researchers, and other groups protesting Milei’s fiscal cuts.

teleSUR/ JF

Source: EFE – Pagina 12

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