TRENCH WARFARE BEGINS
After each of President Javier Milei’s first three weeks in office last month brought some bold new initiative, the first week of 2024 passed without any advance. Instead the reform drive ran into its first major hitch in midweek when the National Labour Appeals Court issued an injunction to suspend the labour reforms contained in Milei’s mega-decree at the behest of the CGT trade union umbrella grouping, interrupting the January court holiday for that purpose (something which the Supreme Court does not propose to do, thus postponing any ruling on their side until February). A similar ruling from the same court on behalf of the CTA umbrella followed the next day. The CGT celebrated the ruling and ratified the general strike called for January 24 whereas Treasury attorney Rodolfo Barra said that the government would appeal the decision while seeking to switch jurisdiction to the administrative legislation court. Meanwhile Congress remained deadlocked over both the number and the membership of the committees to treat Milei’s omnibus law although some key committees such as Budget and Foreign Relations under libertarian José Luis Espert and PRO’s Fernando Iglesias respectively were defined.
NEW SEASIDE MURDER
In the worst summer holiday violence since the slaying of Fernando Báez Sosa in 2020, Tomás Tello Ferreyra (even younger than the Villa Gesell victim at 18) was stabbed to death by a gang of beach peddlers in the Atlantic resort of Santa Teresita in the first hours of 2024. Ten arrests were made, which did not prevent hundreds of youths from protesting outside the provincial police station to demand justice for the victim and punish his killers. Rubber bullets were needed to disperse the crowd after tyres were burned and bottles thrown. Tello Ferreyra was chased six blocks from the beach to a house where he collapsed with a stab wound in his chest.
PETROL UP
Petrol prices were hiked 27 percent as from midnight on Tuesday with a litre of premium now hitting four digits. The increase comes on top of 35-45 percent mark-ups on the third day of the Javier Milei Presidency in the wake of the maxi-devaluation while there had also been an upward adjustment of 15-30 percent in the last week of the preceding Peronist administration.
TRANSPORT NEWS
The minimum bus fare was raised by 45 percent from 52.96 to 76.92 pesos to start the year while the Infrastructure Ministry announced that there would be monthly increases in line with inflation until a further decision is reached. Train fares will likewise be increased as from January 15. Meanwhile on the Subte underground, the ‘D’ line, already reduced to a 7am-9.30pm timetable last week, will close down altogether as from next Monday until March 17 in order to modernise the signals system alongside other maintenance work.
ALBERTO’S NEW YEAR SPLURGE
Ex-president Alberto Fernández marked his first New Year out of office in Madrid with a lavish “12 grapes” dinner in Madrid (an alleged 1,000 euros per head including wine, 600 euros without) with his wife Fabiola Yáñez and 20-month son Francisco, drawing escalating criticism ranging from centre-right commentators to social activist Juan Grabois. But all the work of malicious tongues, according to the ex-president’s entourage, which assured that the luxurious evening had all been an “invitation” on the part of a friend who felt sorry for the couple having to spend the New Year “alone in a flat” and hence zero cost to the Argentine tax-payer. Fernández had also insisted on “the most economical dinner possible,” according to these sources. Nevertheless, the table was reserved in the name of the ex-president. Whoever did foot the bill, Grabois continues to insist that the Justicialist Party cannot be chaired out of Spain.
MILITARY OVERHAUL
On the last day of 2023 President Javier Milei revamped the Armed Forces high command, promoting Air Force Chief-of-Staff Brigadier-General (Air Marshal) Xavier Isaac to head the Joint Chiefs of Staff in place of Army Lieutenant-General Juan Martín Paleo. The Army helm will also have a more airborne look since its new chief-of-staff Brigadier-General Carlos Alberto Presti, 57, is a paratrooper commander. As a relatively low-ranking officer, his promotion has forced the retirement of no less than 22 Army generals senior to him, the biggest purge in 40 years, since military tradition dictates that no Chief-of-Staff can have an officer of greater seniority under him. Isaac will be replaced by Air Vice-Marshal Fernando Mengo, 55, who is currently in charge of training and recruitment, while Rear-Admiral Carlos María Allievi, 58, will now head the Navy. The displacement of the Army is seen as further evidence of the loss of influence of Vice-President Victoria Villarruel (whose father was an Army lieutenant-colonel) in an area originally allocated to her with the new appointments being seen as the work of Defence Minister Luis Petri and Security Minister Patricia Bullrich (the top half of their presidential ticket) and even the President’s sister Karina Milei. Isaac also has links with Cabinet Chief Nicolás Posse via the latter’s previous work in Aeropuertos Argentinos 2000.
NO BRIC IN THE WALL
Argentina was due to join BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) with the New Year but a couple of days beforehand Foreign Minister Diana Mondino wrote to all five BRICS presidents to opt out. Although the Javier Milei presidency has more problems with some BRICS members (Brazil, Russia and China) than others, the text of all five letters was identical, informing the recipient that the incorporation of Argentina as a full member at this time was “inopportune” but that there was every interest in intensifying trade and investment.
MILEI’S LATEST FREEZE
President Javier Milei is due to fly out to the Antarctic early today from the Santa Cruz provincial capital of Río Gallegos, where he arrived yesterday evening, in a whirlwind tour which is scheduled to see him back in this city before midnight. A military aircraft will take him to Marambio and Esperanza bases, accompanied by Foreign and Defence Ministers Diana Mondino and, Luis Petri. The details were confirmed by presidential spokesman Manuel Adorni on Thursday although a change in the weather forecast could still affect plans.
JONES HUALA EXTRADITED
Mapuche militant leader Facundo Jones Huala was extradited last Thursday from the western Chubut city of Esquel to Chile where he will serve out in Valdivia the last six months of a prison sentence for arson and illegal possession of a firearm. The security forces of both nations participated in the maximum security operation.
JUAN ALEMANN, 1927-2024
Long-time Argentinisches Tageblatt editor and younger brother of former Economy minister Roberto Alemann (1922-2020), Juan Alemann died three days into the New Year at the German Hospital at the age of 96. His main claim to fame was being Treasury Secretary to the 1976-1983 military dictatorship’s economy minister José Martínez de Hoz, a post which led to his car being strafed in 1979 by machine-gun bullets fired by Montonero guerrillas although he escaped unscathed. Alemann spent most of the last four decades working for the family newspaper the Tageblatt until it closed down last year.
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