The Supreme Court ruling that restored the validity of Article 154 of DNU 70/2023, which repealed the land law, caused a political tremor that took even the Government by surprise. Now, the opposition seeks to take advantage of the stir caused by the total liberalization of land sales to foreigners to come back at the repeal of the mega decree that deregulated broad sectors of the economy at the start of Milei's administration.
The mega DNU 70 was already rejected by the Senate on March 14, 2024, but the opposition never managed to build a consensus broad enough to deliver the coup de grâce in the Chamber of Deputies. But since a session was never called to address the matter, the possibility remained open.
At that time, the dialogue-minded blocs and the governors played in sync with the Government to avoid the repeal. One of the main arguments was that the Government had to be given "the necessary tools" to carry out its governing plan, and moreover the decree repealed, among other things, controversial laws such as the rentals law.
Now, from Unión por la Patria, the Coalición Cívica, the Frente de Izquierda, and sectors of Provincias Unidas, they will seek to capitalize on the public prominence achieved by the rejection of unlimited land sales to foreigners and the defeat suffered by the ruling party in the Senate (it had to remove the entire chapter of the Inviolability of Private Property package)...
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RS PhotosThe Supreme Court ruling that reinstated Article 154 of DNU 70/2023, which repealed the land law, caused a political tremor that took even the Government by surprise. Now, the opposition seeks to take advantage of the uproar generated by the total liberalization of land sales to foreigners to come back with the repeal of the mega-decree that deregulated broad sectors of the economy at the start of Milei's administration. The mega DNU 70 was already rejected by the Senate on March 14, 2024, but the opposition never managed to build a consensus broad enough to deliver the final blow in the Chamber of Deputies. But since a session was never called to address the issue, the possibility remained open. At that time, the dialogue-friendly blocs and the governors played in tune with the Government to avoid the repeal. One of the main arguments was that the Government had to be given "the necessary tools" to carry out its governing plan, and moreover the decree repealed, among other things, questioned laws such as the rentals law. Now, from Unión por la Patria, the Coalición Cívica, the Frente de Izquierda and sectors of Provincias Unidas, they will seek to capitalize on the public prominence achieved by the rejection of unlimited land sales to foreigners and the defeat suffered by the ruling party in the Senate (it had to remove the entire chapter of the Inviolability of Private Property package) to repeal the entire DNU 70. Elisa Carrió - Land LawThe mega-decree eliminated a wide range of regulations on commerce, transportation, the labor market, the health sector and the real estate sector, among others. For example, it eliminated the Supply, Shopping Carts, National Purchase and Rentals laws; liberalized bank fees and prepaid health insurance prices; and deregulated the air market and land sales. Precisely because of the number of sectors affected, from the ruling party they warn that the total repeal of DNU 70 will generate administrative and procedural chaos. In that sense, they are already working on different strategies to block the opposition's push. As they let it be known, one possibility would be to again include a Land chapter in the Private Property law that received half-sanction from the Senate and must now be discussed in Deputies. In this way they will give an outlet to the allied governors and the dialogue-friendly blocs to take a position on land sales to foreigners without having to move against DNU 70. Another similar possibility would be to include a new chapter in the Defense of Sovereignty law that began to be addressed this Wednesday in committee. For its part, the opposition is evaluating calling a session next Wednesday, October 7 or the 14th. Many consider it vital to take advantage of the political shock generated by the Court's ruling, but others warn that next week there could be some key absences since many will travel to Brazil for the presidential elections. "Today, thanks to Milei's Court, the land of Argentines can be sold without limit to foreigners. The objectives are clear: the people in the streets and full rejection of DNU 70," said Germán Martínez, head of the Unión por la Patria bloc. In the same vein, Martín Lousteau said: "In August, social mobilization and political rejection stopped in the Senate the project that sought to put limits on land purchases by foreigners. Yesterday, the Court again left in force Article 154 of DNU 70/2023, which enables the purchase of land without the limits the Senate sought to establish. In 2024 I voted in the Senate against DNU 70/2023 because it is unconstitutional. It still is. Now, in Deputies we have the opportunity to reverse it." "The DNU containing the repeal of the prohibition of limits on land purchases by foreigners is of absolute nullity and must be immediately rejected by both chambers. Having done so, the Senate, it must be treated urgently by the Chamber of Deputies; failing to do so, the Chamber of Deputies is an accomplice of the Executive Branch," Elisa Carrió agreed.