Hours after several governors threatened to appeal to the Supreme Court or the Federal Justice,
the Government relativized the alleged defunding of the retirement funds of 13 provinces
that did not transfer them to the State and that for three months have not received a peso from the ANSES . The Executive announced that it will pay again when an audit is completed and the provincial leaders opted for a more composure silence, although they fear a greater adjustment and the liquefaction of resources.
In the group of provinces that did not transfer their pension funds to the Nation and should receive national funds, there are districts of all political stripes. Peronists and allies include Buenos Aires, La Pampa and Tierra del Fuego; provincial ruling parties such as Córdoba, Misiones, Neuquén and Santa Cruz; and the former JxC that still function as a unit to negotiate with Rosada, Chaco, Chubut, Entre Ríos, Corrientes and Santa Fe.
In several governorates - which are already demanding through judicial means the updates of these amounts - there was alarm after the Government eliminated in DNU 280/24 published on Thursday in the Official Gazette articles 92, 93 and 94 of the Budget Law 2023, which was extended, and which ensured monthly transfers for the aforementioned districts. In the same decree, the Government made official the elimination of the transportation compensation fund and the teacher incentive fund.
“
The items are there, they were reassigned to provincial item issues
. There are two historical problems, the stock of debt that is not the responsibility of this government. "They are debts contracted many years ago, of an amount that is difficult to clarify because there are pending audits," said Interior Minister Guillermo Francos in statements to Mitre in the morning.
In the afternoon, through a statement from the President's Office, the Casa Rosada denied that the items had been eliminated and promised to reactivate the transfers once the pension agency completes its audit. “The budget credit contemplated in the Budget Law for transfers to the ANSES provincial pension funds
has not been eliminated
. That information is false. Once the audit process that is being carried out through the ANSES is completed, the National State will comply with paying the amounts corresponding to the provinces that did not transfer their pension regimes to the Nation,” the statement states.
“What is by law will not go unrecognized,
it is just that in order to pay it it must be clear what is being paid
. There are other games. The only thing that is under discussion, and has always been under discussion, is what are the amounts to be transferred, which is what is difficult,” Francos emphasized.
The President's Office held the media responsible for the dissemination of the information, although it was the provincial leaders themselves in
on and off the record
who expressed their discomfort with the measure without consultation. Maximiliano Pullaro from Santa Fe and Martín Llaryora from Córdoba were two of the most annoying leaders, who made it clear that they would be willing to take action in federal jurisdiction or in the Supreme Court. “While Milei calls for consensus among the governors to accompany him in his laws,
he decrees a cut in funds owed by law
,” said the pension secretary of Santa Fe, Jorge Boasso, who this Saturday preferred silence.
The State of Santa Fe claimed from the Nation, before Milei's inauguration, funds to the retirement funds for $600 billion and Córdoba presented a claim for $400 billion, because the FdT government did not update the items for almost three years. In the Mediterranean province they described the Government's new administrative decision as illegal on Friday. After the Government's clarification, they breathed a sigh of relief, although with nuances.
"If so, at a good time, but since January they have still not paid a peso
," said Governor Martín Llaryora.
A leader who collaborates with the Cordoba president and follows the discussion closely warned about the definancing of the provincial funds. “No one said that the items had been eliminated, but
the mechanism of financing month by month and updating with the retirement index was eliminated
. The provincial funds are defunded in this way, due to inflation. It will be paid with nominal value at the end of the year,” he lamented.
Former Lavagnist deputy Alejandro “Topo” Rodríguez, director of the Federal Consensus Institute, expressed the same sentiment. We ratify, then, that Milei and Toto Caputo defund the provincial retirement funds not transferred to the Nation, in thirteen provinces. It is also confirmed that the so-called “Office of the President” misinforms, takes long naps or does not understand anything,” he noted ironically.
The Government, in its statement, asked to discuss a comprehensive pension system reform with all governors. "The President of the Nation hopes that this issue can be addressed in view of the May Pact to be held on May 25 in the Province of Córdoba," the text states.