BUENOS AIRES.- He government of the president of Argentina, Javier Mileysuspended advertising in the media and began to review all personnel contracts signed in the State in the last year within the framework of the adjustment measures he has planned at the beginning of his mandate.
“Although it was already public knowledge, the guideline is suspended for a period of one year,” presidential spokesman Manuel Adorni said in a press conference, thus ratifying one of the campaign promises of Milei, an ultra-liberal economist who took office. Sunday announcing a sharp reduction in public spending and state reforms to reduce the large fiscal deficit to a minimum.
Regarding the review of appointments made in the public sector – a measure that had been anticipated – the spokesperson said that “any official who does not want to provide the information that President Milei and his ministers are requesting will have the corresponding sanction.”
The new president and leader of the La Libertad Avanza party ordered in the first hours of government that the political structure of the State be substantially reduced. The ministries went from 18 to nine, the secretaries of State were reduced from 106 to 54 and the undersecretaries from 182 to 140.
The spokesperson indicated that in terms of public cuts, “the reduction in the general directorates and national directorates is still missing.”
The package of adjustment measures seeks, as indicated, to confront “the economic urgency,” avoid hyperinflation and reverse “one of the deepest crises in Argentine history.”
The rise in prices is more than 142% annually and private economists estimate that the year will end with an increase in the cost of living of around 188%.
Milei said during his inauguration as president that inflation “travels at a rate of between 20% and 40% monthly for the months between December and February.”
The adjustment measures will be announced in a recorded message from the Minister of Economy, Luis Caputo, which the government will broadcast after 5:00 p.m.
“Everything that is announced will be in line with what was promised in the campaign and we are convinced of what must be done, which is to prevent Argentina from ending in a catastrophe by trying to deactivate each of the bombs that this government has received, especially in fiscal and monetary terms,” said the presidential spokesperson.
Adorni noted that the adjustment will be accompanied by greater social containment. “No one is going to stop helping someone who needs it, that is not going to happen at this stage in Argentina because we understand the seriousness of the situation,” he said.
Source: With information from AP
