Milei targets rivals as he confirms he will veto university funding law

President Javier Milei confirmed on Wednesday night that he will veto the University Financing Law recently passed by Congress, reiterating that he will do the same with "any other bill that does not include a specific budget allocation and threatens fiscal balance."

Milei, 53, made his declaration in a government statement posted on social media. It was published just hours after hundreds of thousands of people marched nationwide in support of state universities and against the veto that Milei had anticipated.

"The President's Office announces that President Javier Milei will veto the irresponsible project for increased public spending on National Universities, approved by Congress, as well as any other project that does not include a specific budget allocation and threatens fiscal balance," read the government statement.

It continued: "It is time for legislators to understand that they can no longer engage in demagogic populism with the resources of those who pay taxes, and to begin to act with the responsibility that this historic moment demands.”

Milei went on to call out a number of his favoured targets, including former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and his rival in last year’s election run-off Sergio Massa.

"The Executive celebrates the honesty of leaders Cristina [Fernández de] Kirchner, Sergio Massa, Martín Lousteau, Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, and Elisa Carrió, who have publicly decided to unite with the aim of obstructing the President's economic plan,” continued the statement.

“This convergence highlights the consolidation of a new populist left front in defence of the privileges of political leadership," it alleged.

Milei administration officials this week sought to portray the march as “political,” highlighting the involvement of unions and state employees.

In its statement, the government said it is committed to national universities, “as well as to the effort that each Argentine has been making since December to achieve zero deficit, reduce inflation, and restore economic prosperity.”

The law passed by Congress would guarantee state universities regular funding increases and for teachers and staff to receive salary increases to counteract the effects of annual inflation, measured at 236 percent year-on-year in August.

Milei vowed to veto the law, as he has done with other laws he opposes, calling the salary increases for teachers "unjustified" and lawmakers "fiscal degenerates."

He recently struck down a law aimed at increasing payments for pensioners.

– TIMES/NA/AFP