Amid protests and scandal, Argentine Congress suspends vote on Macri pension reform bill [View all]

[sandensea]

Argentina’s lower house of Congress suspended a vote on President Mauricio Macri’s pension reform plan, after supporters of the bill were found to have sneaked at least two fake lawmakers to obtain quorum and as protesters and police clashed violently outside.

The bill, which passed the Senate last month, would cut benefits to retirees, pensioners, veterans, the disabled, and the poor by a total of at least $7 billion next year alone.

Officials in the right-wing Macri administration describe the bill as “essential to cut the fiscal deficit,” which is projected to rise to a record $35 billion this year.

Opposition politicians and labor unions, however, note that besides cutting pensions and benefits by 8.5% in the first year, and likely more later, the bill would also deprive the ANSES social security agency of some $4 billion in annual revenue - thereby diluting most of the savings.

Facing a possible legislative defeat, Macri is reportedly preparing to enact the changes by decree - a move which even staunch allies such as Congresswoman Elisa Carrió have slammed as unconstitutional.

Before Thursday’s scheduled vote, the country’s top labor federation, the CGT, called a general strike for the following day. Demonstrators threw stones at metal barriers set up outside Congress, and security forces responded with rubber bullets and tear gas.

Among the injured were four opposition lawmakers.

Diputrucho scandal

The vote on the bill itself was suspended this afternoon when opposition lawmakers noted that two of the “congressmen” gathered on the floor of the house to provide quorum were actually impersonators.

The impersonators - known in the Argentine vernacular as “diputruchos” (congressfakes) - were reportedly ushered to the floor by the leader of Macri's PRO caucus, Nicolás Massot.

Despite it being a felony to impersonate a lawmaker on the floor of Congress, no charges were pressed.

“We will not back down,” opposition lawmaker Mirta Tundis of the centrist Renewal Front said. “It is outrageous that year after year, those who have less are affected most.”

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Water cannon aims at protesters outside Congress during today's vote; yellow is the official color of Macri's right-wing party, the PRO.