The Justice ordered the Government of Javier Milei to continue with the plans to deliver food to canteens and picnic areas from all over the country. The resolution arises in response to an amparo action filed by the Center for Legal and Social Studies (CELS) and the Union of Workers of the Popular Economy (UTEP)representing community kitchens without access to food since February of this year.
In detail, the ruling requires the Minister Sandra Pettovello of the Ministry of Human Capital to maintain the food programs already implemented. From the Government, they celebrated the definition through an official statement: “This ruling reinforces the mission that the Ministry of Human Capital has been carrying out since day one: act responsibly in the distribution of public resources and ensure that social programs are designed to directly and progressively benefit those who need them most“.
The ruling on food delivery plans to canteens and picnic areas
He federal judge Walter Lara Correa issued a 129-page substantive ruling in which it reaffirmed the right to feeding vulnerable people in Argentina. In this way, the Court’s decision urged the Government to continue delivering food to canteens and picnic areas in the country.
“It is important to emphasize that an unbudgeted expense is not being ordered or the budget programming defined by the Legislator is being modified. Nor is a policy being outlined, defining new priorities, or modifying the policy designed by the Legislative Department and implemented by the National Executive Branch“Lara Correa noted in the text.
In his ruling, the judge highlighted the “recognition of the right to food“. In this sense, he stressed that the dining rooms and picnic areas constitute “instruments for the satisfaction of the right“in the most vulnerable sectors of society.
“The main beneficiaries of this right are people in vulnerable situations.”, including children, adolescents, women, older adults and people with disabilities,” he added.
The Justice resolution puts the focus on the food policies of the portfolio led by Pettovello. In this sense, he highlights that initiatives such as “UNDP ARG 20/004 Community Approach Program”, the “Feed Benefit Program”, the “Argentina National Plan Against Hunger” and the “Feed Community Program”must continue to be executed “in line with the principle of non-regression.”
Currently, there are two judicial proceedings open against the new minister of Javier Milei’s government, who during the year was highly criticized for stockpiling – until almost its expiration – 6 thousand tons of food. In addition to the case referred to in the aforementioned ruling, Pettovello also faces a complaint in the criminal jurisdiction, where it is investigated by “failure to fulfill the duties of a public official and abuse of authority” where the magistrates of first instance, the Court of Appeals and the Court of Criminal Cassation agreed that the ministry should distribute the food.
The Government’s response to the judge’s ruling
The Government issued an official statement regarding Lara Correa’s ruling. As detailed, the decision ratified the “legality and progressive approach of the actions deployed by the Ministry of Human Capital“.
“The judicial decision consolidates the continuity of the food assistance procedures that had been carried out and reinforces the commitment of the Ministry of managing public resources responsibly and guaranteeing that assistance programs reach directly those who need it most, without intermediaries, thus consolidating a policy of equity and transparency“they explained.
The ruling party assured that the ruling establishes that the ministry acted “within the current regulatory framework, promoting continuity and maintenance of social programs“. In addition, they also stated that the magistrate validated the position of the Ministry of Human Capital by “questioning the RENACOM as a reliable public policy tool”.
In his ruling, Lara Correa urged the Government to purge the register of National Registry of Community Dining Rooms and Picnic Areas (ReNaCoM).
“The ruling determines that the holders of the right to food assistance are directly the peopleand not the intermediariespromoting direct and transparent access to resources,” responded from La Libertad Avanza.
“In his ruling, the judge was forceful: the Ministry of Human Capital has complied at all times with the legally established procedures and has not incurred breaches of current regulations“, they concluded.
Source: Ambito
