Milei announces closure of the state news agency “Telám”

The president of Argentina, Javier Milei, announced on Friday (1st March 2024) the closure of Bodies, the country’s public news agency. During his speech at the opening of the ordinary sessions of Congress, he declared that the state-owned company “has been used in recent decades as a Kirchnerist propaganda agency”.

In operation since 1945, the agency has more than 700 employees and is the only one in the country that has correspondents in all Argentine provinces.

The general secretary of Fatpren (Argentine Federation of Press Workers), Carla Gaudensi, spoke out against Milei’s decision.

“Télam is not closing. We will defend not only the agency’s workers, but also the entire Argentine people, as well as all state companies, public assets and the sovereignty of our country”these.

The Argentine government had already issued a decree on February 5 imposing intervention in state-owned communications companies, including Bodies. Milei stated that public companies are “in a situation of public emergency in economic, financial, fiscal, administrative, social security, tariff, health and social matters” since December 20, 2023, 10 days after his inauguration as head of state.

The intervention is valid for 1 year and can be renewed for the same period. The measure fulfills campaign promises from Milei, who was elected with the program he called “chainsaw” to cut public spending and called public media outlets “propaganda mechanisms”.

Also on Friday (1st March), Javier Milei invited the leaders of the 23 Argentine provinces and the capital, Buenos Aires, to discuss a new fiscal and founding pact for the country. The meetings are scheduled for May 25 in Córdoba.

According to the president, they are subject to the approval of his economic package “Bus Law”, which returned to the initial processing phase after the government disapproved changes presented by congressmen.