When the newly elected Argentine President Javier Milei hinted during his campaign last August that he would not go ahead with his country's accession to the BRICS group on January 1, 2024, the public opinion at the time considered that promise a part of the many populist pledges announced by the candidate.
However, just days ago, the BRICS group announced Argentina's actual withdrawal, by the decision of its president. While the group's invitation to Argentina to join in August was made at the request of former President Alberto Fernández, the implementation of the accession was set to start at the beginning of this year, allowing current President Milei to make the final decision, burying the accession before it was born!
Political Turmoil
The details of Argentina's accession to the economic bloc known as BRICS—which includes Russia, China, Brazil, India, and South Africa—go back to last August at the Johannesburg summit, where 23 countries submitted their applications to join. However, the bloc issued only six invitations to Iran, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, and Argentina, which was accepted with a recommendation from the Brazilian president.
Argentina's invitation came laden with political implications as the bloc's management postponed Venezuela and Bolivia's invitations, two Latin countries eager to join, and hastened to include Argentina, which was undergoing a political upheaval that raised the possibility of a departure of the left-wing Fernández government and the arrival of the extremist right-winger Milei.
The winds did not blow in the BRICS ships' favor, Milei won the presidency, and formally canceled his country's accession by sending a letter to Russian President Putin, who currently chairs the group. Although the Russian president expressed regret for the decision, it was anticipated; given that the newly elected President Milei has proudly stated—time and again—that his government's most important partners are the United States and Israel.
Shocking Decisions
His tone before assuming the presidency was harsh and abrupt, as he cursed the BRICS group and labelled its members as miserable socialists, if not for the intervention of his Foreign Minister after his confirmed victory, through her visits to China and then Brazil, in an attempt to rectify the situation.
In truth, the decision to reject accession to the BRICS group was not the most resonating decision in Argentina's political arena. It is considered lighter amid the shocking decisions taken by President Milei within only 20 days in office, which forced unions and their supporters to robustly protest on two occasions; decrying the president's impulsiveness and decisions that portend the rise of a dictator eager to execute his plans.
Public figures, who were once his advocates during his electoral campaign, have also expressed dissatisfaction with the president's performance. Prominent among them is the journalist "Alejandro Fantino", who said a week after President Milei's performance: "No, no. My friend, this isn't how you start your presidential term. You can't attack the public sector with such brutality in your first week, this is painful! You describe yourself as a lion and say your party "Freedom Advances," and I criticize you and will continue to criticize you, you are not a lion, and you are not free!"
An Emerging Dictatorship
Before detailing President Milei's thunderous decisions—as described by international media—the opposition sarcastically recalled a segment from the debate preceding the first round of the presidential election last October. In it, right-wing candidate Patricia Bullrich was asked what she would do in case the parliament refuses to pass her program. She said she would rely on presidential decrees and, if the parliament's refusal persists, she would call for a referendum until she ends up implementing her program by any means. Milei then intervened, telling her, "Then you will be at the head of a royal regime, and you will not govern in a democratic system that respects the separation of powers. This is a dictatorship!"
Now that Milei has won the presidency with the support of Bullrich's followers in the second round, we see a president who has appointed the "ally of necessity" as the Minister of the Interior in his government. Meanwhile, he occupies the presidential seat, governing through decrees, and hinting at organizing a referendum soon.
Among the most realistic analyst comments is that of Dr. Ezequiel Pestolietti from the German DW channel, who stated that Peru's dictator Fujimori needed five years to execute what Milei declared in just 20 days of his presidency. He also pointed to the president's failure to conceal the delight he finds in playing the new dictator's role, which was enhanced by his donning military attire in an event that did not require it.
President Milei's decisions can be classified into two categories: urgent ones, which he can implement, and the second, whose execution depends on the approval of the parliament and then the senate, both dominated by the opposition, albeit not a majority.
The urgent decisions include signing a decree that gives him the power to change or eliminate 360 laws without debate, notably: terminating the contracts of 7,000 public sector employees, including 5,000 who have been officially stopped by the end of the year. It also involves reducing the state's role in public works by stopping all the projects and opening the door wide for the private sector, and cutting back on public services in transportation and education sectors, which have affected retirees' pensions.
"Shock Therapy"
This decree also covers the protest law, which could extend the punishment for protesting to six years in prison if a protester defies security forces' orders. Social networks circulated video clips showing security elements filming the faces of bus passengers wearing shirts with government protest slogans on the day of the last protest, an unprecedented behavior in Argentina.
The second category consisted of introducing 11 bill drafts to the parliament last Wednesday, with 664 clauses demanding the deputies' delegation to President Milei, granting him the authority to change the laws unilaterally, without referring to the legislative power. They span economic, tax, social, and even electoral fields, under the pretext of "the economic crisis the country is going through."
Away from the clauses related to the dissolution of the Central Bank, which President Milei intends to implement, opposition media circulated clauses that are part of the tax law reform, representing blatant reductions for businessmen and the wealthy class in Argentina, where the poverty level is at 40%, including reducing taxes on luxurious properties, real estate purchases, and inheritance.
President Milei justifies these decisions as necessary to address the country's economic and social crisis, embodying his economic vision titled "Shock Therapy," with the motto "The Saw" signifying eradicating the problem at its roots.
However, many voices now speak of the "shock" possibly extending to "dissolving the parliament" if it opposes this therapy!
