Milei Signals Shift,Opens Dialog with Governors – But Exclusionโค of Peronist Leaders Sparks Criticism
BUENOS AIRES – In a surprising โคmoveโ signaling a potential shift in strategy,Argentine President Javierโข Milei hostedโ a meeting with provincial governors and โฃvice-governors at the Casa Rosada on Thursday,seeking support for his economic agenda,including his first proposed budget law. However, the overture to dialogue wasโ immediately shadowed โขby criticism over the exclusion of key Peronist governors, representing a notable portion ofโค the country’s population.
The meeting, lasting over two hours, included โขgovernorsโข and vice-governors aligned with the right and those considered open to negotiation.โค Many attendeesโค had previously signed the “May โฃPact” – a series of government-promoted commitments revived by Milei -โฃ in July 2024. Milei, accompanied by his cabinet, sister and Presidential Secretary Karina Milei, and advisor Santiago Caputo, adopted aโฃ markedly more conciliatory tone than previously displayed, offering a pleasant demeanor even to those he had previously snubbed.
The primary goal of โขthe dialogue, according to sources, is to secure passage of โthe 2026 budget.โ Since taking โoffice โฃin December 2023, Milei has governedโฃ through extensions ofโ the previousโค administration’sโค budgetโ andโค decrees, implementing austerity measures dubbed “the chainsaw” to curb publicโค spending. A accomplished budget approval โwould pave the way for “second-generation reforms” targeting โคthe โtax and labor systems, as well as a proposed โoverhaul of the Penal code.
While most provincialโ leaders presentโค expressed willingness โto collaborateโ with the national โgovernment, they also voiced concerns.Governors requested the fulfillment of national obligations regarding resource distribution, aโ reviewโ of tax allocation, and the โresumptionโ of stalled road projects.
Notably absent were governors fromโฃ provinces with โsignificant populations, including โขBuenos Aires Governor Axel Kicillof,โฃ representing nearly 40% of Argentina‘s citizens.โค Governors from Formosa, La Rioja, and Tierra del fuego also โคdeclined the โinvitation.
Kicillof sharply criticized the exclusion, telling radio 10 thatโฃ Milei was “making a mistake” by omitting key leaders and thatโข the excluded provinces represent “almost half ofโ the country.” He further โsuggested โthe meeting was โคa performative gesture, stating, โค”The Governmentโข is building theโ photo that Trump asked for.”
Milei had previously warned against repeating “Marxist catechism and the recipes that sank Argentina,” suggestingโค a firm โstance against ideological opposition. โขThe move to engage in dialogue, despite this rhetoric,โ represents a potential turning point in his administration, particularly โas he seeks greater parliamentary supportโ following upcoming legislative electionsโ in December.
