Argentine President Javier Milei and his vice-president, Victoria Villarruel, are embroiled in a contentious public spat regarding the recent legislation to increase pensions. The conflict intensified after Milei publicly accused Villarruel of incompetence by sharing disparaging comments on X, which labeled her "stupid" and deemed her a "traitor." In a pointed retort, Villarruel advised the president to “grow up,” signaling the depth of their disagreement.
The backdrop to this altercation was a significant legislative setback for Milei, whose administration faced a decisive defeat in Congress when the Senate approved motions aimed at enhancing pensions and raising disability allowances—moves Milei firmly opposed. He expressed his intention to veto this pension hike, arguing that such increased spending jeopardized the fiscal surplus he aims to sustain.
The dynamics are further complicated by Villarruel's dual role as the vice-president and the president of the Senate, where she presided over the session that gave rise to the emergency pension discussions. The motions passed with a majority against Milei’s ally senators, raising concerns among proponents that without higher pension payments, pensioners would struggle to manage financially.
Despite the government’s recent achievement of a budget surplus for the first time in over a decade, Milei’s austerity policies have led to protests among pensioners, who have been rallying across the nation demanding better financial support.
In the wake of the Senate’s decision, Milei wasted no time in reiterating his plans to veto the pension increase, even declaring a readiness to take legal action if necessary. He also directed his ire towards Villarruel, sharing a post on X that heavily criticized her for allowing the Senate vote to occur.
On her part, Villarruel insisted on the urgency for pensioners and those with disabilities to receive timely support, proposing that the president could make cuts elsewhere—mentioning savings from intelligence services and his extensive international travels.
This episode underscores the fractious nature of Milei's administration and foreshadows greater political struggles as the government tries to balance financial prudence with pressing social needs.
