Argentine President Javier Milei has built his presidency around a single rule: zero deficit. Yet even as he vows to keep the budget balanced, his new 2026 plan raises pensions, health, and education spending. The shift comes just a month before midterm elections, testing whether his austerity brand can survive political reality.

Since taking office in December 2023, Milei slashed billions in spending, froze public works, and cut federal funding to provinces, among other austerity measures. University and health budgets were hit especially hard, leading to layoffs and reduced services. Retirees saw their benefits shrink as inflation eroded payments, while tighter rules limited access to pensions. As a result, Argentina reached its first primary surplus in more than a decade and its first

See Full Page