News of chainsaw

Milei has cut 48,000 public-sector jobs since taking office

28-05-2025 10:18 President’s chainsaw slashes public-sector employment; Staff numbers have fallen 9.6% over the last 17 months, says Argentina’s government.

As I see it

Milei looks like a one-trick pony

10-05-2025 07:45 Chainsaws are great but they can maim or even kill users who are too weak or too clumsy to handle them properly.

by James Neilson

BEYOND THE HEADLINES

Towards a smarter state

29-03-2025 06:11 The libertarian government seems intent on cutting back a bloated state to its right size without having any clear idea what that size might be.

by Michael Soltys

POLITICS

Chaco and Milei’s electoral strategy for October

15-03-2025 07:36 Chaco shows that Milei is willing to seal alliances with the local political establishment — a.k.a. “the caste” — as it best suits them. And the Casa Rosada has leverage in this negotiation with the governors: cash.

by Marcelo J. García

HEALTH & ECONOMY

Milei government eliminates Argentina's national cancer institute

06-03-2025 21:15 In a statement, Argentina's Health Ministry announced the closure of the Instituto Nacional del Cáncer because of a "duplicity of tasks" and to have "greater control of actions."

LIBERTARIAN CHAINSAWS

Musk and Milei’s chainsaw maker is crafting another for Trump

06-03-2025 15:54 Mechanic Mariano ‘Tute’ Di Tella is delighted that the custom chainsaw he made for President Javier MIlei and Elon Musk caught the attention. Now, he's preparing a chainsaw for Donald Trump.

public health crisis

Doctors resign from Health Ministry scheme over ‘dismantling’ of programmes

05-03-2025 16:59 Healthcare professionals working on Health Ministry programmes to tackle HIV, leprosy and tuberculosis resign en masse, stating: "We will not be part of a Ministry where essential programmes are unable to meet the basic obligations set by law."

Milei-Musk

The tale behind Milei’s chainsaw gift for Elon Musk

21-02-2025 17:06 President Javier Milei presents billionaire Elon Musk with a replica of the chainsaw he keeps at the Casa Rosada — how a tool manufacturer found a niche in the libertarian marketplace.

Milei in America

Milei meets IMF chief, gifts Musk a chainsaw

21-02-2025 00:13 Enjoying some time away from Argentina following the "cryptogate" scandal, President Javier Milei meets with Elon Musk in Washington and gifts him a chainsaw.

GOVERNMENT & POLITICS

Milei government to target state bodies with ‘mega decree’

04-02-2025 16:58 Next stage of President Javeir Milei’s “chainsaw” cuts to state infrastructure could see closure or merger of some 50 government agencies and bodies, according to Casa Rosada source.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Milei’s chainsaw slashes funds for science, research institutes

01-02-2025 09:12 President Javier Milei’s government has drastically reduced the budgets of the CONICET scientific research council, INTA agricultural technology body and ARSAT satellite firm – now entire programmes are being eliminated.

by Andrea Gentil

GOVERNMENT & POLITICS

Milei wants right-wing forum as restarts ‘chainsaw’

28-01-2025 11:27 La Libertad Avanza leader wants to be the beacon for a movement of right-wing leaders with whom he shares ideological common ground. He will deepen the “cultural battle” in Argentina and move forward with deeper cuts at public companies, prompting a new wave of redundancies in time for the October midterms.

by Juan Pablo Kavanagh

Analysis

Midterm elections set limit on Milei’s search for spending cuts

10-01-2025 13:26 Spending cuts in 2024 reached some five percent of Argentina's GDP. Is there room to repeat this feat?

As I see it

Chainsaws are now in fashion

02-01-2025 07:45 Though Trump has yet to take office, his electoral triumph has had an immediate impact not just in his own country but also in Europe and further afield where it has strengthened those who feel betrayed by the political parties.

by James Neilson

WAR ON THE STATE

Milei’s ‘chainsaw’ cut nearly 35,000 public-sector jobs in 2024

21-12-2024 05:07 Report by the Deregulation & State Transformation Ministry, headed by Milei ally Federico Sturzenegger, details 34,280 dismissals or contract terminations between December 2023 and October 2024, shrinking the state payroll by seven percent.

ECONOMIC POLICY

Milei confirms his ‘chainsaw’ will keep running next year

27-11-2024 15:52 “Full speed ahead,” says Argentina's president, vowing that public spending cuts will continue into 2025.

POLITICS – ANALYSIS

Foreign Ministry set to meet chainsaw after Mondino's failure to cut costs

05-11-2024 10:32 The now former foreign minister not only displeased President Milei, she also failed to cut costs. Mondino’s lack of budget-slashing means La Libertad Avanza’s chainsaw will now descend on the Palacio San Martín.

by Juan Pablo Kavanagh

BLOOMBERG - ANALYSIS

Javier Milei's popularity survives his chainsaw cuts in Argentina

16-08-2024 11:34 Argentina’s libertarian president came to power promising to slash spending. Voters are suffering, yet polls show his support endures — for now.

POLITICS – ANALYSIS

The first ‘real world’ punch for Javier Milei

27-04-2024 05:00 The government’s response to the march in defence of the public university system was similar to their usual approach, but the impact wasn’t the same – the social agenda appears to have finally sided against Milei on a major issue.

by Agustino Fontevecchia

POLITICS – ANALYSIS

The calm before the storm?

30-03-2024 06:07 The depth and severity of the recession that the plan put together by Economy Minister Luis ‘Toto’ Caputo will bring is beginning to reveal its impact.

by Agustino Fontevecchia

NEW ROUND LAY-OFFS

Milei administration sharpens chainsaw against public employees

25-03-2024 15:40 Government ready for a new onslaught against state employees – Cabinet Chief Nicolás Posse is in charge of monitoring the issue. Around 15,000-20,000 expected to lose posts as contracts are not renewed.

POLITICS & ECONOMY

Chainsaw Plan Round 2: Government looks to deepen austerity

14-01-2024 10:19 Economy Minister Luis Caputo assures that there has been no fiscal shock so far in Argentina and that there is still room for further tightening. If President Javier Milei’s ‘Omnibus law’ does not pass through Congress, cutbacks will continue for state personnel, with cuts in overtime, the freezing of salaries, and the non-renewal of expiring contracts.

by Juan Pablo Kavanagh