BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Argentina’s liberal government President Javier Milley The governor of oil-rich Chubut province on Monday condemned his threat to cut off energy supplies to the rest of the country amid a dispute over funding cuts.
“(The threat) is not an attack against the federal government, but against all Argentines,” presidential spokesman Manuel Adoni told reporters on Monday.
The row began late last week when the federal government blocked the transfer of 13 billion pesos ($15 million) in federal tax revenue to Chubut province.
In response, Chubut Governor Ignacio Torres, part of Argentina’s main conservative bloc that supports Mire, said the province would cut off oil and gas supplies on Wednesday if funds are not released. Five other governors in oil-producing Patagonia echoed Torres’ stance.
While verbal exchanges between Milley and the premiers have been going on for weeks, this is the first large-scale confrontation, with provincial chiefs threatening to cut off energy supplies to the rest of the country.
Adoni said on Monday that his government “will no longer allow any whims of provincial leaders” after Milley, the ultra-liberal economist, has implemented a series of shocking economic policies since taking power in December. .
He also asked governors to implement the same adjustments at the provincial level that the federal government has made, accusing them of wanting to “live off other Argentines because of public finance problems.”
Provincial leaders are angry Measures to shock the economy Mire’s measures after taking power included devaluing the currency by half, suspending public works and reducing aid to provincial governments.
Amid the conflict with Chubut, Milai’s government on Monday ordered a reduction in fiscal funding for Buenos Aires, the country’s largest province governed by centre-left Peronists.
Buenos Aires Governor Axel Kisilov in a press release after learning of the decision to cancel the special budget project that Buenos Aires has received since 2020 to increase the salaries of security forces “Both national unity and the Argentine constitution are at risk,” it was said at the meeting.
Kisilov said he would go to the Supreme Court to demand the funds.
If conflicts with governors across the political spectrum continue to escalate, Mire will find it difficult to gain political support for many of the reforms that require congressional approval, as his Liberal Progress Party ranks third in Congress and lacks the seats to impose his policies. Agenda only.