On December 18, the Chamber of Deputies debated a provisional reform for the pension system

The pension reform has generated much controversy due to the fact that the Argentinian president promoted his political campaign saying “I’m not going to take away help from anyone, I’m not going to change the things that were done well”.

Nonetheless, about a year ago, more than 80,000 pensions were terminated by the Commission of Welfare Pensions a dependency of the Ministry of Social Development. A project that today is still being discussed among the opposition claiming the reform “in the name of maintaining fiscal balance is harming the elderly”. 

“The retirees will not lose purchasing power,”

The government argues “the retirees will not lose purchasing power,” but the political opposition believes the current inflation of over 20% and the bureaucratic mechanism “[…] will mean a reduction in income for the most vulnerable”. Hence, the political amends to the system presents a strong interrogative, whether it will embrace a positive outcome to regularize informal employees or it will subject to violate the rights of the workers.

This month has witnessed of one of the most violent social protest in the capital of Argentina since the 2001 crisis known as the “Cacerolazo”, which was a political, economic, social, and institutional crisis against the former president Fernando de la Rúa.

“I’m not going to take away help from anyone, I’m not going to change the things that were done well”.

The current protests worries not only the workers but also the Argentinian society. It also raises the question if President Macri will remain with the support of Congress in order to modify the system pension after the violent revolts, or the pitched battle between the government and the unions will revoke the reform.

Latin American Post | Alessa Flores Vela

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