The Casa Rosada was the scene of a true political kissing of hands this Wednesday. Governors occupied a 13-seat front row at Diego Santilli’s swearing-in as chief of staff, which included a three-way hug between Javier Milei, Manuel Adorni, and the new minister. The provincial leaders’ hope is that the appointment of a dialogue-oriented official at the helm of the cabinet will mean a better reception for their demands from the interior for more resources and infrastructure projects.
However, the first sign of this supposed new stage of the government was in the opposite direction: two reports released this Wednesday revealed a new drop in federal revenue sharing. According to these surveys, shared resources fell 8.5% year-on-year in real terms, and automatic transfers declined 4.3% in the first half. A slap in the face for governors who expected Santilli’s arrival to unlock funds.
The large presence of governors was the main political signal of Santilli’s swearing-in, who as chief of staff will also absorb the functions of the Ministry of the Interior. He will thus be in charge of the relationship with the provinces, and the governors hope that from that position he will have more leeway to fulfill his promises and bypass the chainsaw of Economy Minister Luis Caputo. «Diego and I have known each other for many years, but he also has a close relationship with most governors, and that always facilitates the task, the possibility of reaching an agreement and promoting a certain reform or a certain project,» explained the governor of Entre Ríos, Rogelio Frigerio, one of the most enthusiastic about the arrival of another PRO member at the Casa Rosada.
But while the governors mingled in the Salón Blanco, the numbers told a different story. Revenue sharing, that vital flow for the provinces, continues to plummet. Official reports show the decline is real and deep: 8.5% less than last year, adjusted for inflation. Automatic transfers, which are the daily bread for governors, also fell 4.3% in the first half. A clear sign that, despite hugs and smiles, the money is not coming.
Frigerio himself, who appeared optimistic, knows the challenge is enormous. Santilli will have to balance campaign promises with the fiscal reality imposed by Caputo. The governors, who have been demanding projects and funds since the start of the administration, now place their hopes in a man they know from Buenos Aires politics. But Caputo’s chainsaw does not forgive, and the revenue sharing numbers are the thermometer of a relationship that promises to be tense.
The question hanging in the air is whether Santilli can truly unlock resources or if it will be just a political gesture to calm the waters. For now, revenue sharing continues to fall, and the governors, who attended the kissing of hands, return to their provinces empty-handed. The Casa Rosada smiles, but the interior weeps.
Para mí estos gobernadores son unos lambones que festejan a Santilli mientras la coparticipación se les escapa un 8,5%. Me parece que nos chorean la guita de los laburantes para bancar a estos vagos. Yo creo que son todos vendepatria que solo piensan en sus bolsillos. ¡Viva la lucha carajo!
Para mí estos gobernadores son unos vivos, se hacen los amigos de Santilli pero chorean la coparticipación. 8,5% menos? Me parece que se la afanan entre ellos, no que el campo no labure. Yo creo que son todos zurdos de mierda, viven del laburo ajeno. ¡Váyanse todos a la mierda!