Javier Milei’s show: libertarian celebration, reinterpretation of Cicero and reaction of the deputies

The staging – anticipated by the president himself who presented the bill, in the Congress hall on a Sunday during prime time on television – was accompanied by the arrival of representatives of the libertarian youthwho arrived in formal contingents on trains and taxis, to respond with applause to the pauses with which Javier Milei It was his responsibility to have his management objectives recognised – one of the points he is accused of – which he considers to have been achieved: “31,000 ñoquis” dismissals, “Single Paper Ticket sanction” and “four months without street closures”among other exaltations.

Upon arrival, Milei shook hands with José Luis Espert effusively and omitted the greeting with Victoria Villarruel (whom he embraced at the end); he placed the economic officials on his left and the ministers on his right (Pettovello and Mondino were absent); and he repurposed one of his own and other people’s main criticisms to apply it to one of his campaign concepts: “We are going to put a clamp on the State ”. In an unprecedented move, he took it upon himself to sweeten the legislative allies (“I am very grateful to those who have accompanied me”) and kept a Wink for Cristian Ritondohead of the PRO bloc: gave him the pages of his speech.

In this context, his speech had two other reinterpretations. The first refers to one of the historical slogans of the ATE union (“Strengthening the State to liberate the Nation”) to reformulate it in a libertarian perspective: “Shrinking the State to enhance society”. The second reference was his mentions of Marcus Aurelius Cicerofrom which he quoted a speech in which he is reported to have said that “public debt must be reduced and the arrogance of public officials must be moderated.” The phrase is vehemently false.both for its convenient anti-state content, for the studies of international universities that could not account for its origin and for its anachronism: There was no possibility of issuing debt 2000 years ago and the Roman leadership did not express itself in terms of officials.

Deputies’ reaction: libertarian confidence and opposition questions

The presidential speech received a greater legislative presence than expected. There were about 120 parliamentarians, among whom were libertarian and PRO senators. and representatives of all the majority blocks of Deputies. The large presence of Union for the Homelandwhich was the target of the President’s provocations celebrated by his audience. German Martinezhead of the Peronist bloc, had his own mention and was the most restless of his bench. At the end of the speech, he showed those who approached the front page of a newspaper that indicated that “Zero deficit is now law.” The title was from July 2001.

Ministers Javier Milei Speech Congress

Ministers listen to Javier Milei’s speech.

Mariano Fuchila

Also striking was the presence of Federal Meetingwho had previously expressed his unwillingness to attend. Some of the members of the Budget Committee did not participate, however he was present Florencio Randazzowhose main moment of effusiveness and applause was when the libertarian tribune sang: “The caste is afraidThey were the first to leave, without making any statements. Their attendance and that of almost all the deputies of Federal Innovation They suggest a desire for coincidences between fundamental blocks for a parliamentary majority.

The radical presence was also important, with Martin Tetaz broadcasting the entire speech on social networks and with perfect attendance of the Five deputies who met with him last week at Casa Rosada“I thought it was a speech with greater political content and innovative in its proposal to justify all spending,” he told this media outlet. Luis Picatfrom the group of five. “It was another compilation of tweets,” he considered minutes later Danya Tavelaa colleague from her party, who said that if there is a veto to the university financing law They will insist on the project: “We don’t have much hope, but it has to be made clearer to people who is in favor and who is not.”

Rodrigo de Loredo He gave his fellow provincial a warm hug Gabriel Bornoronipresident of the bloc of Freedom Advances in the House of Representatives. Their smiles ended when they were asked about the possibility of a electoral alliance in Cordoba for 2025. “We were always fine internally, the supposed problems were more gossip from journalists,” Bornoroni told Ámbito, a feeling shared by Lilia Lemoine“We are fine because we know that the Budget is the most important objective of the quarter and we are all going to go after it.”

Deputies Speech by Javier Milei

PRO and La Libertad Avanza deputies applaud the presidential speech.

Mariano Fuchila

“People have to listen to the speech again and they will understand. Today was very important,” said Lemoine, although, together with Bertie Benegas Lynchadmitted that they did not have the draft of the project Budget 2025 but they assured that they would have it within the week. After explaining that “the current picture is not good, because we came from a burned down house and now the workers are building,” Benegas Lynch interpreted the future of the alliances: “I think either the radicals understood the economic issue or they are traditional politicians who see that the wave is here and speculate. Hopefully it is the former, like Alem’s radicalism, which was of liberal origin.”

With reinterpretations of a history that they want to re-establish and a proven ability to negotiate with social humor and moderate opposition, The Government will once again raise the flag of “fiscal protection” (in the President’s terms) to institutionalize -now yes- the economic order of the country. The work in commissions will begin in the next few weeks, with or without Luis Caputo. The deputies will learn the details of the Budget at the same time as the citizens: it remains to be seen whether their reaction is in tune.