In a marathon day of almost 12 hours, on Wednesday night the Senate of Argentina approved—in general—the so-called Bases Law, the ambitious legislative project of the government of Javier Milei, which establishes the legal framework for the transformation of the economic model and social situation of the trans-Andean country under the mandate of the leader of the La Libertad Avanza (LLA) party.
After an uninterrupted debate and while thousands of protesters in the street spoke out against it, the law “Bases and Starting Points for the Freedom of Argentines“, also known as the ‘omnibus law’, received 36 votes against and 37 in favor, including the “casting vote” of the president of the Upper House and vice president of the Milei government, Victoria Villarruel, who broke the tie in a second vote.
The initiative, presented by the Executive as a fundamental piece to “modernize and energize” the country on the basis of economic liberalism and reduce the role of the State in the economy, has already passed the procedure of the Chamber of Deputies. If during its processing, particularly in the Senate, the initiative is modified, it will return to the Lower House for discussion and final sanction..
“In the Senate the panorama was always more complex than in the Deputies because you start with 33 votes against.” As stated Page 12, this was the evaluation in the Casa Rosada on the vote on the Bases Law, pointing to the Peronist senators. However, precisely two Peronist senators, Eduardo Kueider from Entre Ríos and Carlos “Camau” Espínola from Corrientes, secured the 37 votes necessary to approve the norm. Both belong to the unruly Unidad Federal bloc.
Demonstrations
The Ministry of Security—commanded by Patricia Bullrich—deployed some 1,200 agents from four police corporations who used tear gas, water cannons and rubber bullets to disperse the thousands of protesters who had gathered at the street since early in the morning. Plaza del Congreso convened by social, political and union organizations in repudiation of the economic reform project.
While the senators held a tense political debate, violent incidents occurred outside on the street when groups of hooded men separated from the bulk of the demonstration threw stones, glass bottles and Molotov cocktails at the police, in addition to breaking the security fence around the Congress.
According to police sources, EFEat least 23 people were arrested, five of whom were brought to justice.
The greatest moment of tension occurred around 4:30 p.m. local time (7:30 p.m. GMT), when some hooded men turned over a radio station car. Chain 3 and they set it on fire, a situation that was repeated with another vehicle located in the vicinity of the Legislative Palace.
Those who were marching peacefully at that time left the area and left a space between the security forces and the group of violent protesters, who used part of the street furniture and cars parked on the sidewalks as shields.
Representatives of the social and union movements declared to journalists that they were not seeking to confront the Police and considered Bullrich’s large security deployment “excessive” and “provocative.”
Several people were affected by tear gas inhalation, including five deputies from Unión Por la Patria (Peronist), who had to be treated in a hospital.
A police checkpoint remained well into the night around Congress – which was still in session – to reinforce security and prevent protesters from accessing the area, where at that time there were still isolated pockets of unrest.
Javier Milei – through social networks and during a speech in a liberal forum – congratulated the Police and the Minister of Security, Patricia Bullrich, while accusing the protesters of being “terrorists” and of wanting to carry out a “coup.” of State”.
“We are facing a bifurcation: either we persist on the path of decadence or we dare to travel the path of freedom. This battle is even taking place in the streets,” declared the president, who assured that his government “is putting the streets in order,” as he promised in the election campaign.
