In the complex network of the Argentine economy, the recent measures taken by the Government have generated concern in financial markets. The implementation of authoritarian policies, such as the appointment of Judges of the Supreme Court through decrees of necessity and urgency (DNU) and the signing of agreements with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) without the proper detailed dissemination, raises questions about the institutional and economic stability of the country.
Argentina is going through a critical situation in which political, economic and social tensions converge in an institutionalized network of institutionalized violence and a phenomenon of mimicry with the logic of government. Rather, a significant part of society has mimicized, has naturalized discursive and political practices marked by the confrontation, disqualification and imposition of authoritarian measures. The relationship between the libertarian project and the reinstatement of archaic modes of conflict resolution, with special emphasis on the role of the State and its link with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), have evoked a “revival” of the worst epochs of the country.
Mimetization with Milei: violence as a relationship mode
We said that the rise of “libertarism” in Argentina has been accompanied by a phenomenon of mimicry that transcends explicit ideological adhesion. Many citizens have incorporated, consciously or unconsciously a social relationship mode characterized by verbal aggression and the delegitimation of the adversary. This dynamic replicates authoritarian forms of regimes prior to the democratic recovery of 1983.
The logic of confrontation is not only manifested in the political sphere, but it permeates public and everyday discourse. The presidential aggressiveness finds an echo in a part of the society that has assumed as legitimate the systematic disqualification of opposition actors, journalists and social references. Other citizens or social media actors directly insult appealing to obscenities. In this context, violence ceases to be a marginal phenomenon to become a central instrument for dissent management.
The decree of necessity and urgency (DNU) and the IMF: economic reform or authoritarianism?
The government has deepened a government strategy by decree that redefines the rules of the democratic game. The recent signature of the Decree of Need and Emergency (DNU) to advance in the agreement with the IMF exemplifies this trend. Under the justification of imperative necessity, the Executive has argued powers that should be debated in Congress, weakening democratic institutionality.
The DNU establishes an extended facilities agreement (EFF) until 2035, restructuring the debt at the expense of future governments. However, omits key details such as the magnitude of the disbursements, the macroeconomic goals required by the IMF and the conditions associated with the tax adjustment. This scheme imposes an intergenerational sacrifice in the name of macroeconomic stability, without a deep public debate about its implications.
The case of retirees and state repression
This afternoon we will see how the implementation of adjustment policies has been accompanied by a growing repression of social protest. The case of retiree manifestations is paradigmatic: given the deterioration of their assets, they have repeatedly taken to the streets, only to be repressed by security forces.
The government has justified these actions under the premise of maintaining order, but the deployment of antipiquet protocols and the criminalization of protesters show an authoritarian drift. Even more worrying is the official narrative that links protesters with drug trafficking, thus delegitimizing any expression of social discontent.
Arbitrary appointments and authoritarian practices
In an unprecedented decision in recent democratic history, President Milei appointed Manuel García-Mansilla as judge of the Supreme Court through a decree of necessity and urgency (DNU), avoiding the constitutional procedure required by the Senate’s endorsement. This maneuver reflects an alarming concentration of power in the Executive, weakening judicial independence and sitting a dangerous precedent for the separation of powers.
Likewise, the lack of transparency in key decisions, such as the decision to transfer gold reserves abroad without any explanation by Santiago Bausili, president of the entity (BCRA) and partner of Luis Caputo until days before assuming, contributes to the erosion of public confidence in institutions. Measures of this type not only generate economic uncertainty, but also undermine the credibility of the country in international markets. The Central Bank of Argentina confirmed the transfer of its gold reserves abroad, without specifying the amount, destination or the reasons, claiming security reasons. This lack of sharpness has generated concern about possible embargoes and the opaque management of national resources.
According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) without parliamentary debate
Luis Caputo has advanced in an extended facilities agreement (EFF-Sigla in English) with the IMF until 2035 through DNU, avoiding discussion and approval in Congress. This practice has been questioned for compromising the country’s economic and democratic sovereignty, by imposing tax adjustments without due legislative process.
Authoritarian expressions of political figures
Political leaders such as Patricia Bullrich have been associated with authoritarian positions in their security management and public order. His violent background as a militant of the revolutionary trend mentioned by Milei in the campaign, and his current “hard hand” approach with controversial statements have been subject to debate regarding respect for civil freedoms.
These actions and attitudes of political and governmental actors show a worrying tendency towards authoritarian and anti -democratic practices in Argentina, affecting citizen institutionality and trust in the democratic system.
Government’s political realism and aesthetics
From a philosophical perspective, it is pertinent to ask about the realism of government fictions. In this sense, the libertarian discourse presents a surreal aesthetic that, with the help of the media and social networks, has managed to naturalize in part of the citizenship.
Following René Girard, we can interpret political mimicry by citizens as a mechanism in which desire is configured based on the “other.” In this case, Milei has built a narrative in which austerity, institutional violence and reconfiguration of the minimum state are presented as desirable values. Citizenship, in this context, not only accepts precariousness and exclusion as inevitable, but defends them as foundational elements of a new order.
Corollary
Argentina is trapped in a spiral of discursive and political violence that threatens democratic principles and social coexistence. The naturalization of the conflict as a government method and the imposition of structural adjustments without parliamentary debate configure a scenario of institutional crisis.
The challenge lies in recovering a public sphere where dissent does not imply the annihilation of the other and where structural decisions are the result of democratic consensus, and not authoritarian impositions. The country faces the risk of consolidating a management model based on aggression and exclusion, with unpredictable consequences for its political and social future.
Argentina’s economic and political history offers forceful lessons on the consequences of institutional instability and the adoption of authoritarian measures. The crisis of December 2001, marked by a social and economic outbreak, culminated in the resignation of President Fernando de la Rúa and left a deep scar in Argentine society. More recently, in 2018, the abrupt departure of Luis Caputo from the presidency of the Central Bank, in the midst of a devaluation of the weight and tensions with the IMF, evidenced the fragility of the economic policies implemented without broad consensus.
Today, the repetition of authoritarian patterns and the erosion of democratic dialogue could lead the country to a new spiral of crisis. The lack of transparency in international agreements, the repression of social protest and the naturalization of violence in public discourse not only threaten social cohesion, but also undermine the confidence of markets and the international community. It is imperative for Argentina to reflect on its recent past to avoid falling into staple scenarios, political instability and social outbreaks that harm the well -being of its population and its position in the global context.
Director of Esperanza Foundation. Postgraduate professor at UBA and private universities. Master in International Economic Policy, Doctor of Political Science, author of six books.
Source: Ambito
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