Protesters clash with police as President Javier Milei's radical overhaul advances in Argentina's Senate
Argentina’s Senate began what’s likely to be an all-night voting marathon on the details of President Javier Milei's sweeping proposals to slash spending and boost his own powers early Thursday, shortly after giving the plan overall approval in a narrow vote as thousands of protesters clashed with police outside.
Argentina’s Senate began what’s likely to be an all-night voting marathon on the details of President Javier Milei's sweeping proposals to slash spending and boost his own powers early Thursday, shortly after giving the plan overall approval in a narrow vote as thousands of protesters clashed with police outside.
Senators voted 37 to 36 late Wednesday to give provisional approval to the two bills after a daylong heated debate while thousands of protesters poured into the streets, burning cars and throwing Molotov cocktails as hundreds of federal security forces pushed back with rounds of tear gas and water cannons.
The vote — decided by a tiebreaking vote from Vice President Victoria Villarruel — delivered a major boost to Milei, whose efforts to overhaul the government and economy have run into tough resistance in Argentina’s opposition-dominated Congress.
“Tonight is a triumph for the Argentine people and the first step toward the recovery of our greatness,” Milei posted on X, calling his bills “the most most ambitious legislative reform of the last 40 years.”
A woman holds Argentina's national flag in front of riot police during a protest in Buenos Aires on Thursday.Luis Robayo / AFP - Getty ImagesBut critical elements of the wide-ranging legislation still have to survive an article-by-article vote in the Senate. After that, the bill heads back to the lower house, where lawmakers must okay any modifications before Milei can officially claim his first legislative victory.
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