The Minister of the Interior,
Guillermo Francos
, admitted this Sunday that
the increase of almost 50% in the salaries of President Javier Milei and other officials of the Executive Branch
was "a mistake" and sought to separate the president from the decision.
In addition, he targeted Cristina Kirchner for her privileged retirement.
"How was the mechanics? Clearly
there was an error
because no one took those decrees into account," said the minister on radio Rivadavia, in reference to the DNU of 2010 that forces officials to raise salaries according to the state parity.
Francos explained that as soon as he took office, the president told them that there would be no salary increases "as long as this crisis situation lasts" that Argentina is going through.
"There was no intention. Imagine that if the President came out to criticize the increase in increases for deputies and had signed a decree with an increase, if he had been aware that it was increasing... it is something that makes no sense," he said. .
Francos insisted that it was "a material error by someone who has not realized that this also affected high-level officials and the President had said that those officials were not going to have it."
The minister also pointed out, without mentioning her, the legislator from Unión por la Patria Victoria Tolosa Paz, who showed through social networks the increase in salaries of the Executive.
Cristina Kirchner and Milei crossed paths online over the increase that the President granted to the salaries of the Executive Branch and which he later rolled back. Photo
"A notorious deputy, because she was a minister and knew the regulations, then she said:
'Here I have an opportunity to undermine the President's credibility,'
" he said.
Then, he highlighted Milei's attitude of quickly, after the controversy over the increases, rectifying the situation and returning salaries to the amounts that were previously found.
"But he also told the former president:
'Hey, former president, you who are talking about the salaries of retirees and that we adjust them, wouldn't it seem good to adjust your salary, your pension and retirement of 14 million that the two receive? ?'
"she stated.
After the increases were revealed, due to information published in Clarín, the former vice president targeted the president.
"It made you braver, President. It turns out that you and your officials increased their salaries by 48%, and you can't think of a better excuse than to blame me for a decree I signed 14 years ago?" the former President.
"I'd better not even tell you who it reminds me of, blaming a woman. You can't get more chaste and less original," she wrote.
President Milei also responded online: "I have just canceled the salary increases of the entire national cabinet. Since I saw you so worried about retirements, what do you think if I cancel the $14,000,000 that you receive for retirement? privilege and assign you a minimum pension? I think you are not going to complain. Regards."
When asked if it is possible that Milei can comply with this warning to the former president, Francos responded that from a legal point of view "it is impossible" that he can do so.
"But
the indignation is widespread
among a person who
does not need it
, who is receiving a retirement of this type," Francos concluded regarding the privilege that the former president perceives.
The Government admits that there are differences due to Income Tax
After the meeting with the governors, the Government admits that there are differences over the Income Tax:
"It will not come out unanimously
," Minister Francos said this Sunday.
"I would say that there are different visions, especially those in southern Patagonia who have higher salaries depending on the area in which they live," commented the official.
However, he was confident that progress could be made in the restitution of the fourth category of the tax, which was eliminated by the then Minister of Economy, Sergio Massa, in the middle of the electoral campaign for the presidency in 2023.
"We are going to reach an agreement for both the Base Law and the Income Tax, which we do not want to call Profit, but income. We will be able to carry it forward. There will be differences, it will not be unanimous, but we will have consensus, he concluded.