MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine Senate overrides Milei's veto against Emergency Disability Law

The Senate was presided over by Abdala because Villarruel is discharging executive duties, given Milei's trip

Argentina's Senate voted Thursday by 63 to 7 to override President Javier Milei’s veto of the Disability Emergency Law, making it the first time in 22 years that Congress has successfully overturned a presidential thumbs down.

 

The law, which extends until December 2027, aims to ensure essential rights and services for people with disabilities, including pension funding and monthly inflation-adjusted updates to service fees. The rejection of the veto, supported by a broad coalition of opposition parties, was celebrated by hundreds of people with disabilities and their families who had gathered outside Congress.

During the debate, several opposition senators called for investigations into a corruption scandal involving audio recordings of former National Disability Agency (Andis) head Diego Spagnuolo, allegedly involving Presidential Secretary (and sister) Karina Milei.

In addition to the veto override, the Senate also approved a bill to reform and limit the use of Emergency Decrees (DNUs). This bill, which passed with 56 votes in favor, 8 against, and 2 abstentions, requires DNUs to address a single issue and gives a 90-day deadline for their ratification by both houses of Congress. A rejection from either one would be enough to nullify the decree. This bill now moves to the Lower House for consideration.

The opposition's garnering the two-thirds majority needed to uphold the disability law plays a key role ahead of next Sunday's midterm elections in the pivotal district of Buenos Aires (province). In addition, it proved that Milei's La Libertad Avanza is short of political muscle in Congress.

The ruling party intends to challenge the disability law before the courts to at least fend off its application and keep the executive branch's neoliberal austerity budget cuts in place.

The Senate's sessions were presided over by Alternate Speaker Bartolomé Abdala, because Vice President Victoria Villarruel is discharging executive functions due to Milei's trip to the United States.