On Wednesday, the Argentine Senate passed a sweeping bill that is crucial to liberal President Javier Milei's economic reform plan. Meanwhile, protesters set fires and clashed with police on the streets outside the Congress.
The upper house was divided on the bill, which ultimately passed in a general vote after Vice President Victoria Villarruel broke a 36-36 tie.
Following a marathon debate, the bill was passed. Senators will now vote on individual clauses in the plan, which aims to boost investment through privatizing state-owned enterprises and providing incentives to businesses.
The bill was initially passed by the lower house in April but will now return for another vote due to Senate amendments.
Supporting the reform in her vote, Villarruel stated, "Today there are two Argentinas: one that is violent, setting fires, throwing stones, and debating democratic practices, and another that is made up of workers waiting with immense pain and sacrifice for the change they voted for."
Milei's government controls only a minority of seats in both houses and has been working hard to gain allies' support. Although they knew the bill would face amendments, they hoped to at least achieve general passage.
The main left-wing Peronist opposition group, which has close ties to labor unions, voted against the "foundational" bill, while a vote on another fiscal proposal is still pending.
The bill is crucial to Milei's plan to reform the struggling economy, which includes privatizing public enterprises, granting special powers to the president, and stimulating investment amid nearly 300% hyperinflation.
