News of cuts

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

USAID CUTS

USAID cuts imperil free press, human-rights in autocracies

17-03-2025 15:27 Experts warn US President Donald Trump's slashing of USAID jeopardises independent press and research in autocratic governments, while leaders like El Salvador's Nayib Bukele praise an end to US intervention.

VIOLENT PROTEST

Journalist in critical condition after violent anti-Milei protest

13-03-2025 14:48 Police have released 114 of the 124 individuals arrested at Wednesday's pensioners protest outside Congress; Severely injured photojournalist Pablo Grillo recovers from a "life-saving" surgery after being shot by a projectile in the head.

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."

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.

FOREIGN AID

USAID freeze threatens millions in Latin America

13-02-2025 13:49 US President Donald Trump pulls USAID funding from vital Latin American NGOs, public entities and life-saving United Nations programs.

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

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Argentina posts fiscal surplus after Milei’s budget cuts

17-01-2025 18:49 President Javier Milei made good on his promise to deliver a fiscal surplus in his first year, achieving a feat not seen in over a decade in Argentina’s deficit-prone economy.

SPENDING CUTS

Scientists warn Milei wants to 'deepen' cuts, slash state research

10-01-2025 14:51 Scientists and academics warn the Milei administration wants to cut research funding across social and environmental sciences.

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?

Tax policies

Sturzenegger clarification pours cold water on Milei’s 90% tax reduction claim

11-12-2024 15:55 Argentina’s deregulation czar assures that the government’s idea is to simplify the tax structure but not to reduce the percentage of its burden – a notable difference from President Javier Milei’s first anniversary speech vow.

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

EDITORIAL

Reducing the issue

12-10-2024 06:16 Both sides fall into the error of reducing this issue to a budget tussle without bringing up the major structural problems of university education.

EDITORIAL

It’s the education, stupid

05-10-2024 06:24 When presenting the 2025 Budget in mid-September, Milei defined his fundamental fiscal principle as first defining the available revenue and then adjusting the spending to it – modernising the university system to that end could be an interesting application of that principle. But instead his primitive proposal is literally to cut university spending in half with his chainsaw.

Marcha Federal Universitaria

Milei vetoes law despite huge march in support of state universities

03-10-2024 01:09 President Javier Milei has made good on threats to veto proposed increases to university funding, with the measure made official early Thursday after a day of major student-led protests.

Marcha federal universitaria

Milei faces fresh protest in Argentina over cuts to universities

02-10-2024 22:31 Public university staff and students take to streets to protest against Milei’s forthcoming veto of a bill that would raise salaries to compensate for sky-high inflation.

POLITICS & ECONOMY

President targets rivals as he confirms he will veto university law

02-10-2024 20:22 President responds to mass demonstration in favour of state universities by confirming he will veto new law; Head of state ramps up rhetoric, namechecking rivals and accusing them of forming “new populist left front.”

Lithium in Argentina

Economic crisis thwarts bid to go nuclear with lithium bounty

17-09-2024 11:35 Currency woes dog Argentine scientists trying to develop key isotope Lithium-6, which could have nuclear applications; Milei’s spending cuts, privatisation plans are also a factor.

EDUCATION

Teaching staff at public universities stage 48-hour strike

20-08-2024 12:06 Strike at state universities gets underway with no classes scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday; Unions claim the government's wage renegotiation proposal is insufficient as Milei administration looks to cut costs.

POLITICS & SOCIETY

Gender policies hit by chainsaw in Milei’s Argentina

15-08-2024 07:45 Since assuming office on December 10, 2023, President Javier Milei’s government has slashed and eliminated programmes designed to help women suffering from violence. Among them, the elimination of a ministry, staff lay-offs and cuts to the team staffing the 144 emergency hotline.

by Juan Pablo Kavanagh

BLOOMBERG – FEATURE

Rich investors cheer Milei as Argentines bear brunt of austerity

24-05-2024 14:48 Amid Wall Street and investor optimism, critics are questioning how long Javier Milei's spending cuts can be sustained without permanently damaging the economy or fraying the social fabric.

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

BUDGET

The spending cuts that allowed Milei to turn around the economy

23-04-2024 13:47 How did the government reach a budget surplus in the first quarter? A private study provides answers.

ENERGY

Record-breaking energy demand, power cuts amid high temperatures

01-02-2024 18:25 Argentina breaks historic energy demand as temperatures soar above 37 degrees in Buenos Aires.

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

Brazil's economy

Lula to tap ally to run Brazil statistics agency, raising concerns of its future

27-07-2023 12:21 Lula's appointment of economist Marcio Pochmann to head Brazil's IBGE statistics agency raises credibility concerns due to his controversial left-wing views and past budget cuts affecting data accuracy.

Economy

Brazil’s economic activity tumbles past all forecasts

17-07-2023 19:57 Brazil's economy shrank more than expected in May, but President Lula's government's reforms and anticipated rate cuts have raised investor optimism.