Hear
In the Government there is an intense internal migration of power. In the last few hours it was confirmed that Diego Chaher, which until now served as public media controller –Télam, Radio and Television Argentina (RTA) and Educ.Ar– will become control more than 20 state companies in an “Execution Unit” that will depend on the Chief of Staff. Its objective, according to what was revealed in the Casa Rosada, will be “accelerate” the “privatization” processes, liquidation, merger or transfer” that are authorized by law.
Chaher will thus replace Mauricio González Botto, Secretary of State Companies (he has not yet resigned), someone who knew how to be a sword for the ejected Nicolás Posse. This is an attractive area due to the magnitude of the operations that state companies have and the development projects. sale to private what do you want to face Javier Milei.
Although on paper Chaher will be subordinate to the Chief of Staff, Guillermo Francos, The new coordinating minister always clarified internally that he does not intend to be above public companies. In practice, the new owner of the State companies will work back to back with the presidential strategist Santiago Caputo, that continues to expand its influence day after day.
“The management of the companies will be carried out by the directorates of specific areas, such as public works or transportation. Chaher is going to push for the privatization, liquidation or transfer of companies “that are permitted by law,” they said very close to the President THE NATION. The promoted official must make the companies attractive to private parties and look for bidders to eventually sell them. The Bases Law that was voted on in Deputies for now includes the privatizations of Aerolíneas Argentinas, Energía Argentina SA (Enarsa), RTA, Intercargo, AySA, Correo Argentino, Belgrano Cargas, Sociedad Operadora Ferroviaria (Sofse) and Corredores Viales SA. The sale of the flag airline, however, is highly questioned in the Senate.
The new “Execution Unit” in charge of public companies – this figure was created to streamline the area – It also blocks the possibility of state companies becoming controlled by Federico Sturzenegger, as was speculated at some point. As anticipated THE NATIONMilei wants to assign his “colossus” economist a portfolio dedicated solely to modernization and deregulation, but he does not want to hand over public companies or cut powers to Luis “Toto” Caputo.
The Government decided to promote Chaher despite the fact that the agency Telam today is in limbo and it was not closed, as Milei had announced on March 1. The Casa Rosada considers the intervener a “good student”, because 400 news agency workers (approximately half of the plant) accepted a voluntary retirement without the conflict escalating to judicialization, as happened in the Mauricio Macri era.
However, There was never a legal instrument that supported the closure of the company. The first week of March, the Government closed the website Telam and the security forces prevented its workers from entering the building. Then a process of voluntary withdrawals was opened that lasted 85 days. The company’s workers warn that “Télam SE still exists”, because until now there is no process to convert the agency into a public limited company (to eventually liquidate it) nor a crisis preventive contest in the Ministry of Labor.
In the Public TV and National Radio – who also closed their websites and laid off employees – Chaher sought to reduce overtime payments. In addition, he established a new content system so that production companies can cover their costs with private sponsors.
As he was able to reconstruct THE NATION from different official sources, one of the plans circulating in the Government is that of “merge the public media ecosystem.” That is to say, integrate RTA personnel and assets, TelamPublic Contents, Incaa, Arsat and Bacua to form a single company that produces content. The media privatization plan, however, remains in place. Telamfor its part, would maintain its advertising agency.
Regarding the rest of the State companies, the Government’s objective is that these Minimize National Treasury assistance needs until they can be privatized. So far, González Botto achieved annualized savings of US$1.4 billion. Regarding workers (who number more than 90,000 in all companies), until now dismissals have reached 5%, but the official goal is to bring that number to 25% by the end of the year.
Government sources assure that, for example, Argentinian airlines has already reduced its operating deficit by 82% and that Argentine Mail It reached a “break-even point” after reducing the workforce by 25% (2,000 layoffs).
Large companies like AySA They have already moved forward with the voluntary retirement of 8,000 employees and aim to bring that number to 12,000 by the end of the year, with the goal of not needing more transfers from the Treasury for the month of December. Argentine Trains Infrastructure and Belgrano Loads They aim to reach that break-even point in February 2025.
Among the plans that the Government developed and that it was able to reconstruct THE NATIONIn addition to privatizations, there is the transfer of the Río Turbio Carboniferous Deposits (YCRT) to the province of Santa Cruz and Dionisio Water Mining Deposits (YMAD) to the provinces of Catamarca and Tucumán, and the merger of Dioxitek (which guarantees the supply of uranium dioxide to nuclear power plants) with Argentine Nuclear Power Plant (NASA).
