MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Flag Day showcases rift between Milei and Vilarruel

Milei spoke from the polo field in Buenos Aires, citing agenda problems to go to Rosario

The June 20 National Flag Day commemorating another anniversary of General Manuel Belgrano's passing further showcased the rift between Argentine President Javier Milei and Vice President Victoria Villarruel, who appeared at different celebrations hundreds of kilometers apart.

While Milei led a ceremony at the Polo Field in Buenos Aires -an Army facility- Villarruel chose to attend the festivities before the Flag Monument in Rosario by the Paraná River, where Belgrano presumably created the flag. This event was presided over by Santa Fe Governor Maximiliano Pullaro, together with Mayor Pablo Javkin.

In his speech, Milei criticized past governments, particularly Kirchnerist ones, for using the Armed Forces as a scapegoat to cut defense spending while falsely claiming to uphold sovereignty by expanding the state for personal gain.

He also emphasized his administration's commitment to strengthening defense and honoring the nation’s protectors, ensuring the safety and prosperity of Argentines.

“For years, politics used the Armed Forces as a scapegoat to reduce Defense spending, under the argument that the uniformed were the bad guys and the ones responsible for the national decadence,” Milei said. And he added: “They filled their mouths talking about sovereignty, as if sovereignty meant enlarging the State to benefit themselves.”

“That is why we are trying to engrave these bases in the history of the New Argentina, because we know that in the future we will not be here, but the relationship between the Argentines and their protectors must remain immaculate,” the Libertarian leader further argued. “It is necessary that Argentines can go about their lives and rest easy at night, knowing that there are heroes staying awake to keep them safe.”

Joining Milei were Presidential Secretary and sister Karina Milei; Cabinet Chief Guillermo Francos; and Ministers Luis Petri (Defense), Patricia Bullrich (Security), Mariano Cúneo Libarona (Justice), Mario Lugones (Health), and Federico Sturzenegger (Deregulation and Transformation of the State), plus Presidential Spokesman Manuel Adorni and Lower House Speaker Martín Menem.

Meanwhile, Villarruel, speaking in Rosario, highlighted the significance of being at the birthplace of the Argentine flag, honoring General Manuel Belgrano. She expressed gratitude to local authorities for the invitation and stressed national unity, subtly noting her exclusion from Milei’s event in Buenos Aires. She reiterated that Rosario's Monument was the most fitting place to commemorate the day.

“The truth is that there is no other place in Argentina to be more than here [in Rosario],” Villarruel insisted. “I am very happy to be in Rosario on Flag Day, where it was created, here on the banks of the Paraná, so what better place to be honoring General Manuel Belgrano than being here, in Rosario.”

“I am very grateful for the invitation that the governor and the mayor have given me to be here and accompany all those who will swear allegiance to the flag,” she also mentioned after Milei refused to attend, citing “agenda issues.”

“My message always to the Argentine people is that we have to aim at unity, and as Manuel Belgrano said, many of the problems and difficulties we have would be solved quickly if we had a little more interest in the homeland,” she remarked.