Milei Celebrated Independence Day in Tucumán: "Freedom Must Be Our Main Goal"

Argentine President Javier Milei attended the traditional celebration and commemoration ceremonies held in the Tucumán province in the north of the country on the occasion of 9 July Independence Day. A large group of cabinet members, including representatives from various ministries, twelve provincial governors including Claudio Vidal, and other high-ranking officials accompanied Milei. The ceremony, held at the Casa Histórica (Historic House) where the historic Declaration of Independence was signed, was broadcast live on all television and radio channels nationwide. This important meeting was a continuation of the enthusiastic and massive celebration approach that Milei has displayed during national holidays since taking office. His broad political support could be clearly seen in the number of important figures attending the ceremony.

In his national broadcast speech, the President elaborated in detail on the profound historical meaning and significance that 9 July holds for the Argentine people. He emphasized that this historic step taken in 1816 freed the country from an oppressive and tyrannical administration, concluded the independence struggle, and laid the foundation of the national unification process. In his core message at the center of his speech, Milei wholeheartedly advocated that the freedom achieved by their ancestors in those days must continue to be the country's greatest and primary priority today. He stated that his government's economic and societal vision is directly and inseparably linked to those historical ideals of freedom. In this respect, his speech was both an emotional tribute to the past and a manifesto shaping the ambitious political goals of the current government for the future.

After listing the historical references, Milei shifted his speech to the current political and economic agenda, particularly to his harsh criticisms of the state's role in society. He claimed that for many years, Argentines had been crushed by the state's oppressive policies and forced to serve like slaves to this old structure that contradicted the fundamental values of the republic. However, he stated that in recent election periods, the people demonstrated their own will and finally put the state in its rightful place, that is, in the position of an institution with limited power, and that they themselves were an active tool in this process. In this context, he underscored the importance of the 'May Pact' (Pacto de Mayo), which they signed with provincial governors in May of 2024 and which is designed to lift the country out of its long-standing economic collapse. He noted that the said pact contains strategic development points determined to permanently rescue Argentina from a cycle of chronic decline and poverty.

Highlighting the successful economic results presented by his government, Milei displayed courage and assertiveness in his words. He proudly announced that they had managed to remove the historical and heavy state pressure (the metaphorical 'boot on its foot') on the provinces and that the articles of the pact had been transformed into concrete, applicable policies. In his own words, he argued that they were successfully and resolutely implementing one of the largest and most comprehensive economic austerity (kemer sıkma ve mali ayarlama) programs in human history. He reminded that among these radical decisions were major steps such as the removal of strict monetary policy restrictions (cepo) that had been applied for many years in the country and artificially suppressed exchange rates, as well as the approval of the massive RIGI (Large Investment Incentive Regime) law to encourage foreign investments. Thanks to this radical transformation, he claimed that the country was turned back at the last moment from the dangerous shores of a hyperinflation disaster that could have been much more destructive and was waiting at the edge of the cliff.

Outlining his future goals and the strategic roadmap of the government, the President stated that they were in a great hurry and determination to implement much more comprehensive and radical reforms before the upcoming elections. Stating that they were in a relentless race against time and did not have a single second to lose, he tried to motivate his supporters and the parliament. Among the new legal regulations they plan to debate and pass in the Argentine Congress, also with the support of the official opposition, is a comprehensive electoral reform proposal aimed at making the electoral system transparent and fair. In addition, he brought up a new property immunity law that would make citizens' private property rights constitutionally immune and untouchable against state interventions, and an expanded new economic incentive project called 'Super RIGI' that would further broaden investment areas. Concluding his speech, he added that all these reform packages aim to fundamentally and irreversibly repair the country's institutional and economic infrastructure.