Updated 8.40 p.m.

The Argentine Senate voted to reject President Javier Milei’s veto on a bill raising disability funding that Congress approved in July. This means that both chambers have voted against the president’s decision, effectively overturning one of Milei’s vetoes for the first time since the beginning of his administration.

The final tally was a landslide: 63 votes in favor of striking down the veto, with only 7 for upholding, well above the two-thirds majority required (two lawmakers were absent). As the lower house had already voted to overturn Milei’s veto on August 20, the outcome at the senate means that the president’s decision has been overruled and the bill is in full effect. 

This is the first time since 2003 that Congress has successfully struck down a presidential veto. 

The disability bill declares an emergency on the situation of disabled people until December 2027, guaranteeing budget allocations to increase payment to service providers and settle debts for nurses, companions, and transporters.

A blow for the government

The session delivers a hard blow for the government, as it comes just before the crucial Buenos Aires province elections on Sunday. The administration is also dealing with the bribery accusations leveled against Presidency Secretary Karina Milei, who is also the president’s sister, and a slew of other government officials. 

The corruption scandal broke two weeks ago when a series of leaked recordings attributed to the former head of the national disability agency, Diego Spagnuolo, accused Karina of taking kickbacks from drug companies in exchange for state contracts. 

Further recordings, this time attributed to Karina Milei herself, were leaked last week. The judiciary, however, has banned the publication of Karina’s audios in response to a request from the authorities.

A projected count at the start of the session indicated that the opposition had the votes to strike down the veto, since the bill was initially approved in the Senate with 56 positive votes, well above the required two-thirds (48 out of 72 senators). 

A bill to limit presidential decrees

The session, which was presided over by Senator Bernardo Abdala as Vice President Villarruel is currently acting president due to Milei’s trip to the U.S., also saw lawmakers approve a bill seeking to limit the president’s ability to pass decrees (known in Spanish as “decrees of necessity and urgency,” or DNU). 

The final tally came in at 56 votes in favor, 8 against, and 2 abstentions. The most notable change is that the bill stipulates that both chambers of Congress must approve a decree with an absolute majority within 90 days for it to stand. Current legislation, as evidenced by the overturning of the disability veto, dictates that a decree will stand unless both chambers reject it with a two-thirds majority.

The motion will now move on to be debated in the lower house.

-With information from Ámbito