News of government spending

Milei’s ‘chainsaw’ to cut more staff across all government departments

02-06-2026 09:40 Deregulation tzar Federico Sturzenegger plans to keep the "chainsaw" running; Government plans fresh round of lay-offs across all departments.

“Efecto Messi”?

Milei government dismisses impact of World Cup on reserves

01-06-2026 15:41 The American dream versus local wallets – the most expensive sporting event in history arrives at a time of falling real wages and a cheap exchange rate in Argentina.

by Eugenia Muzio

MILITARY & DEFENCE

Argentina to use revenue from privatisations to 'modernise' Armed Forces

04-05-2026 20:38 Ten percent of revenue from selling state assets and firms will be dedicated to "re-equipping and modernising the Armed Forces," announces government.

POLITICS

From chainsaw to pay rise: Ministers cash in despite Milei's austerity drive

09-04-2026 13:33 Government decree lifts top officials’ wages to over eight million pesos a month, fuelling debate over austerity promises; Salary surge contrasts with Javier Milei’s pledge to cut political privilege.

by Gustavo Winkler

ANALYSIS: SHOCK THERAPY

Sluggish economy is testing Milei’s spending cuts

26-03-2026 13:25 Eighteen months out from the next presidential election, every additional peso of austerity is more socially and politically expensive for President Javier Milei.

Economic indicators

State spending falls to lowest level in a decade

10-02-2026 09:21 Expenditure has fallen 5.1 points between 2023 and 2025 and now accounts for 14.5% of GDP, says new Fundación Libertad report; Public works and subsidies responsible for most of cuts.

OPINION & ANALYSIS

Milei’s relentless chainsaw – the great campaign promise he kept

19-01-2026 21:07 Several of the grandest presidential commitments made by Argentina’s President on the campaign trail in 2023 have been shelved and apparently forgotten: dollarisation, the implosion of the Central Bank and the total eradication of inflation. Without support from the IMF or the United States, those objectives would have proved unviable. But there is one point nobody can dispute: the fiscal surplus. In scarcely two years, the government has reversed a historic deficit with the deepest austerity since the return of democracy. But the discussion still pending is the political, social and institutional cost.

by Carlos Burgueño

GOVERNMENT SPENDING

CEPA: Milei splashed cash on intelligence, slashed social budget in 2025

12-01-2026 18:50 Report by CEPA think tank reveals cutbacks in sensitive areas; Sharp real-terms cuts to health, science, social development and public works last year, while intelligence funding jumped 52%.

LAY-OFFS: WHERE AUSTERITY HITS

Correo Argentino, ARCA, Trenes Argentinos top redundancy rankings

15-07-2025 11:06 President Javier Milei put deregulation tsar Federico Sturzenegger in charge of cuts across state agencies. The official left almost no area untouched – among state-owned companies, Correo Argentino saw the highest number of lay-offs, with 4,945 jobs cut.

INTELLIGENCE SERVICES

Espionage plan claims remain in spotlight with further SIDE revelations

29-05-2025 15:05 Bicameral intelligence committee, chaired by Radical senator Martín Lousteau, has summoned Sergio Neiffert to explain the objectives of this plan, especially its more questionable aspects.

INTELLIGENCE SERVICES

Milei government says SIDE intelligence services won’t target critics

27-05-2025 10:40 President Javier Milei’s government denies a report in La Nación newspaper claiming that SIDE intelligence services will collect information on individuals – potentially journalists, experts and opposition politicians – who could undermine confidence in government policies.

'Blanqueo permanente'?

Experts say Argentina’s dollar thirst could open door for illegal funds

06-05-2025 12:26 Experts raise concerns about legal and tax consequences of using undeclared money after Economy Minister Luis Caputo urged Argentines to take their dollars out and "remonetise" the economy – without having to answer questions.

by Eugenia Muzio

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

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?

AMID SCANDAL

Yáñez gives up state security detail amid NYE dinner furore

05-01-2025 10:26 Former first lady Fabiola Yáñez renounces state security detail that was strengthened in wake of her gender violence allegations against ex-president Alberto Fernández; Milei and Bullrich had criticised her use of proection officers, revealing it had cost state at least US$147,000 since last August.

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

education funding row

Congress opens session on Milei's veto of university funding bill

09-10-2024 12:32 Argentina's lower house Chamber of Deputies will on Wednesday decide if President Javier Milei's veto of a law allowing greater funding to state universities will be upheld.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Scientists fear underfunded research on verge of collapse

01-10-2024 11:13 Drastic budget cuts by President Javier Milei's government are damaging scientific research, with the lack of state funding opening the door to a potential exodus of researchers.

POLITICS & ECONOMY

Privatisations, relaunches and retirements – Milei’s plan for state media

26-08-2024 19:14 President Javier Milei has managed to shutter the Télam news agency and is attempting to downsize and sell off a host of Argentina’s state media outlets – but are his plans working? And what is the “relaunch” his administration is planning?

by Julián D'Imperio

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.

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Social indicators cast doubt over Milei's 'catastrophe' averted claim

04-07-2024 13:09 President Javier Milei recently stated that the government’s social policy is “extremely good” and it had help prevent a “catastrophe.” Yet the government's own data and reports produced by private institutions indicate most social indicators have recorded a step backwards since he took office.

by Agustina Bordigoni

JUSTICE SYSTEM & PRISONS

Milei slashes budget for legal centres in favour of prison spending

29-06-2024 04:25 Argentina’s Justice Ministry announces closure of 81 Centres of Access to Justice nationwide; Milei government boosts budget for the ‘Criminal Policy’ programme by 963% in move to “modernise Penitentiary Service” and “improve the situation of persons deprived of liberty."

by Agustina Bordigoni