The government of President Javier Milei in Argentina continues its so-called ‘chainsaw’ approach to public sector reform. This Tuesday, the Argentine executive announced the dismissal of around 2,400 employees from the Ministry of Justice who had been hired through ‘spurious’ and ‘irregular’ means over the decades, as well as through mechanisms outside the national employment system.
According to Manuel Adorni, the spokesperson for the Argentine Presidency, these employees were part of the Association of Automobile Dealers of the Argentine Republic (ACARA). Adorni also stated that the Milei government has suppressed the payment of incentives to Ministry of Justice personnel for training, which had effectively become ‘part of their salary’ over time, resulting in an annual expenditure of around 15,600 million pesos (over 14,500 euros at the current exchange rate).
Deregulation and Free Competition
Furthermore, Adorni revealed that the Ministry of Transport has removed the exclusive right of the Unión Tranviarios Automotor (UTA) union to provide training for professional drivers, an activity that had generated revenues of nearly 11,000 million pesos (over 10,250 euros) since 2019. Going forward, any organization that wishes to offer driver training will be able to do so, provided they comply with a series of measures implemented by the government to ensure greater deregulation and free competition.
These actions by the Argentine executive are part of the broader program of social cuts and state financing reductions – the so-called ‘Milei chainsaw’ – aimed at addressing the country’s persistent and crippling inflation that has plagued its economy for years. Milei, who recently completed his first year as president, has achieved positive results in the economic sphere, but his policies have also sparked protests in the streets due to the cuts and the elimination of social assistance programs.
