Sometime in Argentina after the decision of senators to double their salaries

The decision of Argentine senators to increase their salaries by a one-time doubling caused an outcry in the government, which described the decision as “shameful”, due to the economic crisis the country is going through.

The controversy erupted after an ultra-fast vote at the plenary session of the Senate, which confirmed the salary increase for members of the Upper House, justified by a strong inflationary jump in the country.

Economy Minister Luis Caputo said the lawmakers showed a “detachment” from reality in the country, adding that their decision was “shameful.”

“The level of (senator’s) disconnection with the people and the current economic situation is total…”, the Minister of Economy wrote on his “X” account.

Earlier, Argentine President Javier Milei strongly criticized the salary increase agreed by the senators, adding that “this is how the (political) caste works”, in reference to the traditional political class that was a favorite target of his criticism during the election campaign.

The head of state specifically targeted opposition senators who approved the salary increase, while seven senators from his ultra-liberal Freedom Forward party abstained from voting.

However, opposition senators, such as Martin Lousteau, responded to the government’s criticism, saying it was “unfair for a senator to earn the same salary as a bank teller”.

Martin Lousteau, one of the government’s fiercest critics in the Senate, said the salary increase was “agreed upon” by all parliamentary groups in the Senate, including the president’s party.

The controversy comes as the country is going through its worst crisis in years, with galloping inflation, drastic budget cuts and declining exports and agricultural production due to drought.

With MAP